


The Transience of Memory

by uberneko_zero



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Amnesia, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Best Friends, Fluff and Angst, Hayner becomes a gofer, Heartbreak, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Mystery, On the Run, Organization XIII - Freeform, Pining, Place Your Bets, Seifer gets what he wants, Teasing, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2018-01-21
Packaged: 2018-11-14 15:38:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 82,200
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11211066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/uberneko_zero/pseuds/uberneko_zero
Summary: Roxas is increasingly bothered by something he can't quite put his finger on. Shadows seem to be following him around, half remembered voices filling his head.Hayner is concerned about his best friend, but soon finds he has his own problems to deal with.Axel/Roxas and Seifer/Hayner





	1. No More Blue

**Author's Note:**

> Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts. (originally posted in 2006, and I'm cleaning it up before posting here.)

Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.

Don't forget to Review, it would be much appreciated. ^_^ Thanks

*This fic is from years back, circa 2006. But the site it's on sux now so I'll be porting it over to AO3* 

 

 

* * *

_Chapter 1: No More Blue_

Roxas sighed for what felt like the 10th time in as many minutes. Something had been niggling at his brain for the better part of the day, and he still couldn't figure out what. He scowled faintly.

Hayner stopped walking, noticing that he was well ahead of his friend. “What's up, Rox?” Brown eyes swept over him, studying his face.

Roxas shook his head, still bothered, but he didn't quite know how to explain it. “It's nothing, sorry. Let's go.” Roxas swept past him, trying to beat down his distraction with every heavy step.

Hayner didn't move for a moment, looking thoughtful. “I thought you wanted to hang out, just the two of us.”

“…” Roxas stopped, his back still turned

“We don't have to go get ice cream...”

“Yeah, but you know that we're the only ones who really like the stuff.” He threw over his shoulder with a smirk. “C'mon, I'll race you there!” he said, then started to run.

“Rox- hey! It's too HOT out for that right now,” he called out to the retreating figure in protest. Roxas didn't stop, he just got further ahead. Hayner clenched his fists, and started running.

“ROXAS!” he shouted at his best friend as he ran after him “NO FAIR!”

* * *

  
“Damn, you're slow,” Roxas said, looking up with a sly expression. He was lounging in a chair at one of the outside tables.

Hayner had finally made it to the ice cream place. He skidded to a halt, then folded over, clutching his camo-clad knees and gasping for breath.

He squinted up at his wild-haired friend, noticing his calm and relaxed pose, and his even breathing, and panted, “How... long…. have you…. been… here?”

Roxas tilted his head in thought. “About 30 minutes.”

“Liar.” The brown-eyed boy huffed, flopping down in the other chair, glaring. “That's not… even possible…. Ugh.” He tilted his head back at the last, resting it against the back of the chair, eyes closed, as he took a few long deep breaths.

A comfortable silence stretched out between them. After a few moments Hayner cracked open one eye, “you're trying to kill me, aren't you?”

“Who, me?” He replied with feigned innocence.

“Argh!” he groaned, sitting up, “I was right! You ARE trying to kill me!”

“Hey- it's not MY fault you can't keep up with me.” This time, when Roxas smiled, it actually reached his eyes, at which point Hayner totally forgave him. But Rox didn't need to know that.

“Wow, I'm SO glad I made time to be with you today,” he said dramatically, “I needed the physical and mental abuse” he lifted a hand to his head as if feeling faint.

“Sorry,” Roxas stifled another laugh. “Let me make it up to you- I'll pay.”

“Yeah?” Hayner drawled out suspiciously.

“I've paid before!” he said indignantly. “You jerk. What kind do you want, the usual?”

“Hmmm… as tempting as that is- I think I'll pass. No more blue. Get me anything else.”

“Ok,” the blue-eyed boy replied, “be right back.”

Hayner sobered as he watched Roxas disappear into the ice cream shop. Something had been off with his friend lately. But he didn't seem to want to talk about it. Pence and Olette hadn't seemed to notice, but maybe he was just more hyper aware than they were. More often than not, when all of them hung out together, Roxas would seem to go off in his own little world. He didn't join into the conversations as much as he used to- he just seemed to hang on the fringes of their interactions, fading into the background as if he wasn't really even there. His most frequent reply to anything anyone said to him was “huh?” or “what was that?” as his attention was forced back into the here and now. It was like he didn't really hear anything they said, and he would quickly lapse back into that state as soon as their attention had been diverted from him once more.

Hayner had been hoping that if he spent more time with Roxas without the others, that maybe the other boy might open up to him. So far though, his blue-eyed friend hadn't acted any different, except for being a little more engaged and present. But his silences seemed even more heavy somehow. It worried him.

"Hey there, Goldilocks,” someone sneered.

Hayner inwardly groaned as a familiar voice wrenched him from his musings.

“You're just as blonde as I am under that skully, asshole,” he replied tiredly, as Seifer draped himself across Roxas' vacant chair with a smirk.

“Yeah, but at least I'm sexy.” He said, resting a hand lightly across his exposed abs. “Can't say the same for you- must be tough, huh?” he taunted.

Hayner sighed with exasperation, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Yes, it's bane of my existence. Now, what do you want?”

“I haven't seen you around much,” He said simply, then paused. “I see you're without your little fan club today.”

“Friends,” he corrected automatically, “and I have a life outside of them.”

“Oh?” Seifer leaned forward, leering. “What about Roxas?” he let that hang in the air a moment before sweeping the area with his predatory gaze. ” _He's_ here somewhere, isn't he? Wouldn't be like you to go somewhere _alone_.”

Hayner felt pinned by those sharp ice-blue eyes. He never knew what to say, or how to react to the delinquent. Of course he didn't like going out alone. It was never really fun to do stuff by himself. And if that wasn't the case, Seifer's uncanny ability to locate him would have solidified the dislike. He couldn't figure out why the thug sought him out so frequently. Was he that fun to annoy?

Seifer held his gaze easily, hard glint to his eyes, and a half-formed smirk on his lips.

Hayner looked away. What in the hell was taking Roxas so long? He almost began to fidget, but restrained the urge.

Seifer creeped him out. When he spoke, it always seemed to be on several levels. He could say one thing, while implying another with his tone, body language, or the expression on his face. It was confusing and exhausting to try to keep up with. And most of the time, he still felt like he was missing something. He hated playing games.

Hayner chanced a quick glance, and confirmed that Seifer was still watching him. Dammit. His eyes narrowed in aggravation. “What??” he spat out.

Seifer, not bothered in the least by the caustic tone, allowed the crooked smile on his face to widen. “Nothing,” the delinquent replied reasonably.

The brown-eyed boy lost it. “Then why are you looking at me like that?"

“No reason,” he said obviously enjoying himself, “Why, does it _bother_ you?” His eyes glinted, making Hayner think of what small animals must feel like in the clutches of a predator.

Hayner crossed his arms and turned away with a glare, determined to ignore him until Roxas came back.

“You're so predictable,” Seifer said with quiet intensity.

Hayner glanced his way at that, an odd look on his face, when Roxas finally arrived.

“Wow, it was packed in there! They were out of Orange, so I got us….” Roxas trailed off. He stood there with a fluorescent green ice cream in each hand, “hey, Seifer.”

“What's this,” Seifer asked in a half joking tone, as he leaned his elbow on the table “a date?”

“Everyone has a smartass thing to say about me buying today, don't they?” Roxas sighed.

“Here.” He handed both ice creams to Hayner, then turned to pull another chair up to the table. Seifer threw a calculating look at Hayner. Hayner caught it and renewed his glare.

Roxas retrieved his ice cream and slumped into his chair, slanting a glance at the new arrival. “You been skateboarding lately?” he asked.

“Here and there.”

“I thought of going out later today, you guys want to come?”

Seifer looked thoughtful, his previous attitude problem taking a backseat for the moment. It was funny that he and Roxas seemed to get along so easily, when he and Hayner were like water and oil.

“Maybe, if you can drag his antisocial ass out there.” Seifer jabbed his thumb in Hayner's direction. “He's being a little punk. Needs to be put in his place.”

Roxas just sat back and watched the interaction. This happened often enough. It was best not to get involved.

Hayner jumped up and slammed his hand down on the table, the effect ruined somewhat by the ice cream clutched in his other hand, “You implying you can skate better than me?”

Seifer smiled lazily at him, “yeah.”

Hayner leaned across the table, eyes flashing dangerously. “Is that a challenge?”

“You could call it that,” came the infuriating reply, amusement showing clearly in his face.

“You're on.” Hayner ground out, before turning on his heel and walking off.

“Uh- see you later Seif.” Roxas jumped up and rushed after his friend. “Hayner! Hey- Wait up!”

Seifer lingered for a few more minutes, watching until they were out of sight.

“That went rather well,” he said to himself.

* * *

Hayner was still fuming by the time they got back to the Usual Spot. He was pacing the edges of the room, his camouflage pants making a steady _whisk whisk whisk_ as the pant legs brushed against each other. “Who in the hell does he think he is?!” he said gesturing wildly. “He's so **conceited**! Totally underestimating me like that... he _can't_ be that good…” Hayner paused mid rant to look over at Roxas. “Can he?”

“Darts?” Roxas asked, holding one out to him.

Hayner sighed, deflating. “Sure.”

They started a game of darts, playing without speaking.

Hayner was losing spectacularly.

“Why do you let him get to you so much?” Roxas asked in the middle of their third game.

“I dunno, he just bothers me.” He squinted his eyes in concentration, lining himself up for another shot at the bullseye. The dart cut smoothly through the air, a solid _thwack_ reverberating through its length as it hit the wall, missing the entire dartboard by at least three inches. “Dammit!”

“Hayner,” Roxas casually smacked him on the back, “you suck.”

“AAARRRRGHHHHHH! I'm usually so GOOD at darts!”

“Well, you're not gonna beat Seifer like this.”

Hayner pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to fend off what threatened to be a massive headache.

“At this rate, you'll get totally pwned,” Roxas added helpfully.

“Thanks for that overwhelming vote of confidence, _buddy_.”

“No problem, _buddy_ ,” he said emphasizing the last word with a cuff to his friend's shoulder. “You've got about 2 hours to pull yourself together.”

As Hayner rubbed his arm, Roxas looked out the door, a vaguely perplexed look on his face. His blue eyes were unfocused, as if not seeing what was in front of him.

He was doing it again.

“Roxas.”

Roxas shook himself, looking a bit startled, “what?”

“What's wrong with you?” Hayner was glaring at him, hand on his hip.

Roxas couldn't meet his eyes. He turned his face away, “It's noth-“

“And don't tell me it's nothing,” he interrupted angrily.

Roxas sighed dejectedly, suddenly looking very tired. He lowered himself to the floor, and drew up one knee to rest his elbow on. He looked almost fragile. His eyes were a dull slate blue.

Hayner waited for him to speak.

The silence stretched out for several long minutes.

“Roxas…” he said sitting down where he stood, so he was at eye level with the other boy, “don't you trust me?”

“Of course I do. It's not that,” he said quietly at the floor, “I just don't know how to explain it.”

“Well, try me out, I'm listening.”

Roxas let out a frustrated noise. “It's like something is always distracting me, I can't concentrate on anything. Like I'm trying to remember something I forgot, or feel like someone's watching me… I don't know… I just can't put my finger on it.”

Roxas looked up finally. “Does that make any sense?”

“To be honest…?”

Roxas nodded.

“No.”

Roxas flopped onto his back, hands behind his head. “I told you I didn't know how to explain it,” he said testily.

“It's ok. I don't need to understand it.” He could hear Hayner slump into a similar position on the other side of the room. “I was just worried that you were holding out on me. That you didn't trust me anymore….. or didn't want to hang out with us-”

Roxas smiled a little, closing his eyes, “You freak. You guys are my best friends.”

* * *

 They arrived at the skate park a little before dusk.

Well, it wasn't _really_ a skate park, per se, it was just a section of town where the streets and overall environment lent itself well to the activity. Hayner and Roxas used to skateboard all the time, hardly ever walking anywhere. A few months back, they found this place. There weren't many pedestrians round, so they pretty much had free reign of the area. For a while, the two of them frequented it almost as much as the Usual Place. It was where they bonded. Like with the ice cream, Pence and Olette just didn't care that much about skateboarding.

One day, they arrived in conjunction with a rough looking group of 4, 3 of which had skateboards tucked under their arms. They all stared at each other from across the intersecting streets.

Roxas, having a bit of an avoidant personality, was about to turn and go- he didn't feel like fighting for space. They could always come back later.

Hayner brushed past him, tossing his skateboard out, and leaping onto it in one fluid motion. He never liked backing down to anyone. He proceeded to skate with abandon, totally ignoring the other group, as if they had no right to encroach upon _his_ space. What looked like the leader of the group, a tall kid wearing a black skully on his head, was watching him with narrowed eyes.

Roxas put a hand up to his face half covering his eyes, shaking his head. Hayner was going to give him ulcers.

The tall kid jumped onto his board, gliding toward Hayner with surprising speed. Roxas groaned, and followed suit. He had to be out there to back his friend up if he needed it, damn him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the other two skateboarders circling lazily towards their leader. He was hoping that he wasn't about to be drug into a brawl.

When the leader had almost reached him, Hayner stopped with a flashy pull up on his board. His expression was haughty. The leader slowed, then abruptly kicked his board up into his waiting hand, never breaking eye contact. If Hayner looked haughty, this kid looked downright arrogant.

Roxas and the two goons stopped just short of this spectacle, waiting to see what was going to happen. Roxas could feel the tension in the air, and see the cold gaze of the leader as he sized up Hayner. He stalked a slow pace around the brown eyed boy that dared to challenge him.

“Huh,” the leader grunted coming to a stop in front of him. “Such a small fry wants to challenge _me_?” he laughed. “Don't you know who I am?”

Hayner was smaller, but he could do menacing too. “Don't know, don't care,” he sneered.

There was an extra dig hidden in that remark. Everyone knew about the self appointed Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee, and it's rough and tumble leader Seifer. He was hard to miss. His ice blue eyes, and black skully cap were a trademark. As were his combat boots, his cutoff shirts and his sleeveless white trench coat. (Nobody mentioned the cutoff shirts anymore, they figured anyone who had abs as ripped as that could wear whatever the hell the wanted. But this was only after someone made a smart assed comment about them, and Seifer beat the hell out of them. A month in the hospital was not at the top of anyone's list of things to do.) So Hayner was deliberately refusing to acknowledge him.

Seifer looked Hayner up and down once more, eyes hard. Roxas tensed, waiting for the first blow of the inevitable fight to land any second now.

The ghost of a smile flickered across Seifer's face. “So that's how it is?”

Hayner tipped his head, staring back defiantly.

“Huh.” He snorted, almost to himself. He spun on his heel, white trench coat flaring out in an arc behind him. He made a small gesture, and his cronies fell in line behind him.

When they were out of sight, Roxas collapsed heavily onto his skateboard, using it as a seat.

“He wasn't so tough.”

“Oh my _god_ , Hayner, what's _wrong_ with you? Of all the people to pick a fight with!” He said pinning his friend with an exasperated look.

Hayner started laughing, and it seemed he couldn't stop. A few moments later it bordered on maniacal.

“Share,” Roxas demanded doggedly, still trying to calm the rush of adrenaline that was jangling his nerves.

Hayner doubled over, smacking his knee. “I thought I was gonna get my ass beat for sure!”

“You're crazy,” Roxas muttered, “absolutely crazy.”

Everyday after that, at roughly the same time, both groups would appear, skate, and completely ignore each other. Surprisingly, the threat of a fight never resurfaced.

The stalemate gradually waned. Someone would inevitably remark on a cool trick, or nod a hello. Roxas hated the tension, so he tried to encourage moments like these. Seifer turned out to be a pretty easy going guy once you got to know him a little. Except where Hayner was concerned. It started with baiting, and caustic remarks, and progressed quickly over the weeks. Now he had taken to taunting Hayner as a favorite pastime.

This was mostly Hayner's fault, as he insisted on ignoring Seifer the longest, a point of contention for the gang leader, even when he would speak to any of the others.

Recently, though, Hayner seemed to tire of the harassment. He even made amends, in his own way, by trying to be civil. But, it was too little, too late. Any effort he made to that effect, was promptly discarded.

Finally, he told Roxas he was bored with skating all the time, and that he wanted to quit for a while. Roxas knew it was his way of dealing with the situation- an easy way to not have to put up with Seifer. This was three weeks ago. Unfortunately for Hayner, he seemed to run into Seifer quite often, so the harassment continued.

Roxas wasn't overly concerned. He was pretty sure Seifer liked Hayner ok- he was just nursing his wounded pride. His obstinate friend shouldn't dish it out if he couldn't take it.

Seifer and co. arrived about 15 minutes after them. Roxas and Hayner were killing time by coasting about in varied, aimless loops. Seifer grinned upon seeing them, waiting for them to notice him.

“Hey Seif,” Roxas greeted him, pulling up short.

The gang leader nodded in reply, his eyes on Hayner, who had yet to acknowledge his presence. “Hey, shrimp,” he called out to the other blonde, “ready to get beat?”

Roxas knew the name would irk his friend, he was only a few inches shorter and a little leaner than the gang leader, but apparently Seifer knew this as well.

Hayner cut a sharp turn, glided nearer, and stopped with a well executed spin. “Just try it.” He shot back, glaring.

Seifer's grin widened taking on a haphazard tilt. He looked a little intimidating like that, with his eyes glinting in the dimming light. He looked like he was going to enjoy this little contest to the utmost.

“Shall we make a wager, since you're so confident?”

“I'm listening” Hayner said suspiciously.

“You win, and I'll supply your ice cream cravings for a month.”

“But what if _you_ win?”

Seifer spread his hands in an appeasing gesture. “I thought you were certain that wouldn't happen. Why dwell on impossibilities?

“God, you're a pain in the ass.”

Seifer smirked. “Hardly. Now, if I win….”

Roxas looked up when Seifer didn't finish his sentence. He was curious to hear the rest. Odd. Everyone was so quiet, and still. Almost as if they were… frozen. He looked more closely and saw that they were all like statues. Nobody moved, nobody breathed. Seifer was still mid gesture, mouth open as if still speaking. Hayner had his arms crossed, and was in the process of rolling his eyes.

Roxas felt a creepy sense of foreboding wash over him.

“What in the hell?” he murmured, starting to back away.

“They're frozen.” A hand gripped his shoulder as a voice sounded alarmingly close to his ear.

Roxas jumped in surprise, wrenching himself away so violently that he nearly fell. “What do you mean, they're _frozen_?” he addressed the hooded specter in a panicked voice. It was dressed in a tight fitting black robe, a cowl covering all but the lower half of its face.

The body listed to the side, head tilted as if in thought, hands spread in apology. “Well, more specifically, _time_ is frozen,“ he amended. At least, the voice sounded male. “But, you should be used to that, yeah?”

Roxas shook his head. “I don't know what you're talking about.”

“Oh, come on, _Roxas_ _,_ ” he drawled in a round-about way, emphasizing his name harshly. The figure moved towards him deliberately, perfectly sculpted lips chiding him familiarly. “Don't be like that.”

Roxas staggered back, a hand to his head. An unnamed feeling welling up inside him, choking him, “How do you know my name??”

The figure in black stepped closer, a gloved hand pulling back the hood “Don't tell me you've forgotten me already…”

“You're ON!” Hayner snapped. “Let's go.”

Two blurs flashed by Roxas.

He blinked.

He looked around dumbly, his mind scrambling at something. Red. A jester's smile. Just flashes. He rubbed his temples, trying to piece it together. But like sand in an hourglass, even those faint impressions sifted through his fingers.

* * *

TBC

Author's note: Thank you for reading!

Hayner and Roxas' friendship is too cute. I can't stand it. <3

omg. Axel finally makes an appearance! It's only been… 11 pages!

Axel: *weeps* “I'm so unloved.” 

(*Edit from 2017* The whole thing is on Media Miner since forever ago but I am bringing it over here. Painstakingly... I need to find my original files to make this less like chewing nails.)


	2. Enter, the Miscreant

* * *

 

Chapter 2: Enter, the Miscreant 

 “I don't believe it,” he said in a flat voice, sounding as if life itself had utterly failed him. “I can't _accept_ this.”

“Hayner, you lost.” Roxas said again, this time with annoyance.

“He cheated somehow!” He resumed pacing, muttering to himself as he rubbed his chin, “I never saw him skate like that before…. He was holding stuff back… that one trick was awesome… but it isn't **_fair_ **. I didn't think to hold anything back - how could I know he'd use that against me…must've planned it from the beginning, that jerkof-“

“HAYNER!” Roxas finally exploded.

Hayner was startled into stillness. He'd stopped mid-pace, foot still hanging in the air, shoulders tensed as if expecting a blow. He stood there like that, immobile for the span of a held breath, before lowering his foot to the floor and shoving his hands into his pockets.

When he finally looked up, there was a difficult mixture of betrayal, anger, and sadness swimming in his eyes.

Roxas felt a surge of guilt and self-loathing pour through him. He was overreacting to his own confusion and taking it out on his friend. Was this the sort of worthless person he was becoming? To react like this after Hayner had been so understanding earlier?

He'd been feeling off ever since the skate park. His stomach clenched when he thought of that. His attention span was worse than usual, and he was jumping at shadows. But, he could've sworn he caught a glimpse of something, or someone moving in the darkness.

It wasn't Hayner's fault that he didn't know. Roxas hadn't told him. “Hayner-” Roxas stammered, “I'm… sorry, I-”

“Leave it,” he said harshly.

Roxas opened his mouth to protest, but Hayner threw him a look that dried the words on his tongue. He tried to swallow the lump in his throat. Why was everything going so wrong lately?

Hayner's expression softened slightly, taking on more of a pained look. He turned and shook his head in a sharp one-sided movement.

“See you tomorrow,” he said, and kicked the door frame on his way out.

 

* * *

Hayner walked home, scuffing his feet angrily and cursing himself.

He had every right to be mad at Roxas, but somehow he felt that _he_ had been the one to do something wrong. He'd almost apologized when Roxas bit his lip, eyes too glassy, looking like the sky had fallen in on him.

But what was he supposed to do? Best friend, or no, he wouldn't let _anyone_ speak to him like that. Roxas should know this by now….

Hayner kicked open his door. He was home.

 

* * *

The room felt enormously dark and empty once Hayner left.

Roxas sat staring at the doorway, resting his chin on his knees. He wondered if he'd soon drive his last friend away. Pence and Olette were fun to hang around with, but he just didn't feel like they understood him at all. He often caught the weird looks they sent his way. They were only there because Hayner was there. After all, before Roxas came around, it had only been the three of them. He was the outsider. He closed his eyes, fighting the clenched feeling that was constricting his chest.

“Maybe it's for the best,” he mumbled. “Hayner would be better off without a friend like _me_.” He suddenly felt exhausted. The walk home would be entirely too long. Long, and COLD. He had felt the temperature dropping earlier, and wasn't keen on going out into it now. What was the point in going home anyway? It wasn't like anyone would be there waiting for him. “Guess I could sleep here,” he yawned.

“You _could_ do that, but what's to stop some weirdo from attacking you in your sleep?” a male voice asked playfully.

Roxas' jaw snapped shut, making him bite his tongue. “Ow!” He covered his mouth with his hand, wincing. He whipped his gaze from side to side. “Whuvse bvere!”

The voice laughed at him, amused. “Ah, you haven't changed a bit,” it said fondly.

Roxas tried for a more dignified response, removing his hand from his mouth. _Damn that hurt!_ His tongue was still throbbing. “What do you want?” He still couldn't see anyone in the room with him. It was creeping him out. “And where are you?” he added for good measure.

Something dark moved in the east corner of the room. A shadow peeled itself free, shifting and forming a tall cloaked figure. “I'm right here.” This was unbelievably familiar, but why? Roxas squinted at the willowy figure. “I'm surprised you're actually alone. It makes things so much easier. They always notice when someone freezes time.” The phantom sighed, stepping steadily closer as it spoke. “I bet you don't even remember me.”

Something seemed familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on it. For each step it took forward, Roxas took a step back. Funny, now the room felt so small it was claustrophobic. It was getting hard to breathe around the sick pounding of his heart. “Look, buddy, I don't want any trouble,” he addressed the sinister figure in black, shakily, as he inched closer to the door. “I'm just gonna leave and you can take whatever you want.” And with that, he made a break for it.

He made it halfway there before a black blur phased into being directly in his path. He couldn't stop. Roxas pivoted, trying to dodge around him, but found his momentum forcibly altered by the black-gloved hand that clamped down upon his arm.

“Ughn!” The breath was knocked from him as his back hit the wall. He cracked open an eye, watching the black-robed wacko pacing furiously.

It stopped, turning to face him. “Why are you running away from me?” it asked desperately. He couldn't tell if it sounded more angry, or hurt.

“Because you're scaring me,” he said quietly. God, was he going to die here, like this?

“No, Roxas,” it said mournfully as it swept up to him. In a moment, he'd be able to see under that hood… He held his breath, afraid to look. “Have you really forgotten me?” Its voice sounded so hollow now. Roxas risked a glance. Catlike aqua eyes filled his vision. They were intense and anguish seemed to swim in their depths. His breath caught at the nearness of the robed person, muscles tensing. They were face-to-face, maybe a foot apart. The air between them seemed to feel heavier, thicker than normal. His eyes flitted over the face, which was still in partial shadow. It was so unusual. There was a small tattoo beneath each of his eyes that reminded Roxas of an inverted teardrop. It gave him a slightly wild look. A hand on Roxas’ chin tilted his face upwards and lips pressed to his.

Roxas' eyes went wide, his mind humming with confusion. This boy, only a few years older than himself by the looks of it, seemed to think that they knew each other _quite_ well. So why couldn't he remember?

He felt himself being released, and he leaned against the wall for support. He found himself staring into those expressive eyes, as if they held all the answers he sought. They narrowed as his mouth stretched into a jester-like smile. That smile, where had he seen that before? The tattooed boy turned then, and walked towards the door, vanishing before he stepped through it.

 

* * *

“Uh… Roxas?” Hayner crouched down peering at his friend where he lay on the floor. He poked him lightly. “Are you dead?”

“Hnnn?” Roxas groaned. Hayner was towering over him with a worried look on his face. Why did his back hurt so badly? He sat up groggily. “What time is it?”

“Around 9:30 in the morning. Did you stay here all night?” He felt guilty. Had Roxas stayed here because he was upset about their fight?

“Oh.” Yesterday was coming back to him. “Yeah, guess I did.” Was Hayner still mad? Were they supposed to be ignoring each other?

“Well, I didn't expect to see you here.” Hayner said quietly. “I just came to get my board.”

Roxas felt the oppressive weight of yesterday sink its claws back into him. “Sorry to interrupt,” he muttered, stumbling to his feet. He felt kind of woozy. He put a hand to his head. When was the last time he ate?

Hayner watched his best friend, a dull ache in his chest. How long were they going to be like this? How long were they supposed to not talk to each other like normal, and avoid hanging out? How long was he supposed to wait to forgive Roxas? _Dammit_.

“Have you eaten breakfast yet?” Hayner asked hesitantly. Roxas looked over at him, uncertainty in his eyes. Hayner clasped his hands behind his head, looking away. “If I know _you_ , you probably haven't had anything since that ice cream yesterday afternoon. Why don't you grab a sandwich at Rosalie's? I was headed down there anyway.” He snuck a look at his friend. Roxas looked shell-shocked. Slowly, a grateful, watery smile tugged at his lips. He wiped at his eyes quickly before agreeing and Hayner pretended not to notice.

They walked in silence on the way there, both of them not sure how to break the remaining tension. They ordered their food and Hayner paid for both of them. “Did you know that Pence and Olette hooked up?” Hayner asked once they were seated, before taking a huge bite out of his breakfast sandwich. _That_ seemed to snap Roxas out of his gloomy brooding, he snickered inwardly.

“What? When did this happen? Where the hell was I?” he asked incredulously.

“I dunno, I just found out yesterday. Are you really surprised? I figured it was bound to happen.”

“Hmn.” Roxas took a bite of his waffle, chewing thoughtfully and swallowing. “No, I guess that makes sense. I mean, once we started hanging out a lot, they were left alone together.”

“Well, by that logic,” someone said brashly, “wouldn't you two be next in line to hook up?”

Hayner sighed deeply, looking put-upon. He shot Seifer a baleful look. “So enters the miscreant,” he muttered.

Seifer grabbed a chair, spinning its back to the table and sat down, draping his arms across the top of it. He looked at the solitary receipt crumpled on the table. “Man, did you pay _again_?”

Roxas was mildly amused. He really appreciated what Hayner had done. He knew that inviting him out for breakfast was his way of trying to make up. The fact that he paid just clinched it, and perhaps indicated a slight feeling of guilt. “What brings you out here so early, Seifer?”

The gang leader smiled. “I have a debt to collect.” At this, the smile was directed at Hayner, who groaned and buried his face in his arms.

“…care to elaborate?” Roxas realized Hayner probably would have mentioned this to him last night if he hadn't been such an ass to him. Judging by his current reaction, it was probably why he'd been ranting.

“You mean, he didn't tell you?” Seifer laughed. “He agreed to be my gofer for an entire _week_. Meaning,” he said with relish, “he'll be doing whatever menial task I think of to give him for the next 168 hours.”

“Hayner, you _agreed_ to that?” Roxas was shocked.

“I didn't think I'd lose,” he moaned into his arms.

“I bet I won't see you all week.”

“But if I won, I'd have free ice cream for a whole MONTH!”

“He'll probably make you tote their skateboards around, and clean their hangout and stuff. **Not** worth it,” Roxas declared.

“I know,” Hayner suddenly perked up, “What if you help me?” He gave Roxas his biggest, cutest puppy dog eyes he was capable of. It was hard to say no to that face.

“Hey, a deal's a deal, shrimp.” Seifer stood and hauled Hayner out of his seat by the back of his jacket. “You've got work to do.” The brown-eyed boy swung his arms, looking like a kitten who'd been dunked in water by the scruff of its neck.

“Awww! Come on!” Hayner whined. Seifer kept a hand on the back of his neck, and steered him towards the door.

“Later, Roxas.” 

“Later, Seif.” He was strangely laid-back about the abduction of his friend, he thought, as he bit into his waffle.

 

* * *

“This is cruel and unusual punishment,” Hayner declared with distaste.

“You made the bet.” The delinquent smacked Hayner's chest with the back of his hand. “Suck it up.”

“But, this place is a MESS!”

“Which is exactly why I wanted help cleaning it.”

Hayner scowled. He hated cleaning. Really, really hated it.

Seifer looked at him appraisingly, raising an eyebrow. “You don't think about the consequences of your actions much, do you?”

“Che,” Hayner snorted. “What's the point? Then you just get bogged down with all the things that might go wrong.” He threw some soda cans into a trash bin. “I don't wanna live like that.”

Seifer was sort of impressed. He hadn't expected the boy had a philosophy behind his erratic behavior. He figured Hayner just never thought things through. Interesting.

“You guys are a bunch of slobs,” Hayner said petulantly 20 minutes later.

“Yeah. Thanks for helping out.” He didn't look up from the sports magazine he was reading.

“I thought there were only four of you! This place has the collected filth of a high school locker room!”

Seifer smirked behind his magazine. That tone of his was kind of cute.

Hayner made himself do the rest in silence. Seifer was ignoring him now anyway, so his comments were tragically wasted. Didn't the punk realize it was his way of amusing himself? He looked at his watch. He felt like he'd been slaving away for hours, when in fact, it had only been about 45 minutes. What did that leave him… about 147 hours, and 15 minutes? He'd die.

He glanced surreptitiously at the slave driver. Was he going to make him work the _entire_ day? What about food… and sleep… and fun? He could see it now, Seifer starving him to death, not letting him sleep until he became a mindless drooling zombie, and making him work on top of that. What if his arms fell off? Or his eyes shriveled in his head, and he couldn't even see what he was supposed to be doing?

“I'm hungry,” Hayner said a couple hours later. He stared down at Seifer, his arms crossed over his chest. Now was the moment of truth, he'd know for sure how horribly he was going to be abused this coming week. Maybe Roxas would have a heart and come save him if it was _really_ bad.

“Okay,” Seifer replied without looking up, “what do you want?”

“I- “ Hayner stopped, mouth hanging open, his finger pointed at the ceiling in preparation of his forthcoming tirade. “What?” He deflated. He'd been so ready for a fight, that now he was totally thrown off his game.

Seifer glanced up. “Food,” he said. “what kind do you want?”

“Uh- I get a choice?” Hayner was perplexed.

“Yeah. Why not?”

“I sorta thought you were gonna let me starve. Or I'd have to eat only once a day, when I go home to sleep…” he trailed off. Seifer was giving him a look as if he were completely mental.

Seifer scoffed at him. “You're completely mental.” He stood up, failing to entirely hide his amusement at the other boy as he tossed the magazine he'd been reading on a nearby table. “C'mon, shrimp.” He ambled past Hayner. “You can figure out what you want on the way.”

Hayner calculated how much money he had with him, against the odds of needing it to last him a day or two, in case he wasn’t allowed to go home tonight, and figured he could afford about 1 1/2 burritos. Bleh. That meant he didn’t even have enough for a soda, even if he forewent the 1/2 burrito. Not that they even let you buy half burritos, but, you know, if they did. If he sprung for a soda instead, he’d only have enough for a small taco, or a thing of nachos to go with it. Oh, how depressing, there was no _way_ that would fill him up. Maybe he should get the 1 1/2 burritos after all.  
  
“You’ve been standing there for 5 minutes. You want Mexican, or not?”  
  
Hayner was startled out of his reverie to find himself loitering in front of Chico’s, a passable Mexican joint. The best thing on their menu, sadly, was the pizza. “Hmmn,” he said.  
  
“How about burgers, then?”

Burgers! He loved burgers! His face lit up for a brief moment, before he realized he wouldn’t have enough. “Oh. Um. You know, I’m really not that hungry, I think a burrito would do me fine.”

“Burgers, it is,” Seifer said, and began walking. Hayner watched the sway of his white trench coat for a moment or two. Yup, he was getting left behind.

“H-Hey- wait! I said I wanted a burrito, dammit!” Hayner had to jog a bit to catch up to him. Seifer had a long stride. He also looked like he was skulking when he moved, only it was a graceful and dangerous kind of skulking. Also, the skully he wore kept an almost constant shadow over the tops of his eyes. Yeah, he looked like a complete thug; but, a thug with really cool boots.  
  
Seifer perused the menu, stroking his chin with his hand. He either didn’t notice, or didn’t mind the slightly terrified looks most of the patrons were sending his way. The waiter crept up to the table and asked them if they were ready to order.

“I’ll have the double cheese burger, fries, and a coke.” Seifer paused. “The runt will have the same, but no pickles.”  
  
“Very good, sir,” the man replied before scuttling away.

Hayner fidgeted. He debated. He shifted in his seat, then went back to fidgeting. He leaned forward. “I don’t have enough money for all that,” he hissed.

“I know. That’s why I’m paying.”

Hayner chewed on that a moment.

“Here you are, then.” The waiter slid the cokes onto the table with a little too much force. They glided 2/3rds of the way across the slick surface. If he wasn’t careful, one might assume he didn’t want to wait on them. Or maybe he was just afraid to stick around for more than absolutely necessary. Either way, that wouldn’t get him raking in the big bucks.

“How did you know?” Hayner demanded. “And why did you order me no pickles?”

“You were counting on your fingers and muttering under your breath.” Seifer lounged back in the booth and took a long pull on his soda. “You’re also a horrible liar.”

“And?” Hayner prodded. How the hell could he have known about the damn pickles?

Seifer smirked infuriatingly at him “I just figured you for the type that would frivolously hate something like that.”

Hayner glared mightily, and Seifer knew he’d guessed right. Why was it so fun to get under the boy’s skin? He basked in the warm glow of Hayner’s irritation. Said boy proceeded to ignore him for the rest of the meal, but Seifer didn’t mind.

 

* * *

“Grab our boards, runt.”  
  
They were back at the gang’s hideout. Hayner gave Seifer a look that could peel paint off a wall. “Excuse me?”

Seifer strode over to him, cutting a more than imposing figure as he looked down his nose, head tilted in a thuggish way. “I said, Get. Our. Boards. RUNT.” Hayner felt the slightest quiver of…. something… snake through him. Probably, it was fear. A healthy dose of fear. This was Seifer, after all, the most influential and terrifying gang leader in the entire city.

He looked up into those icy eyes, heart beating in his throat. “Y-yes, sir.”

“Where are we going?” Hayner asked as they walked down the street, having recovered from his embarrassing lack of composure.  
  
“To the skate park.”

It was funny that not only he and Roxas, but Seifer as well, referred to the little strip by its misleading nickname. “Why can’t you carry your own damn board?” Hayner complained, steeling himself for another frightening stare-down.  
  
Seifer laughed. “When Roxas made that suggestion earlier, it sounded like a good idea.

When they reached the crossroads, Hayner saw that the rest of the Twilight Town Disciplinary Committee was already waiting for them. Seifer snagged his board from him and strode over to his minions, greeting them heartily.

Hayner leaned against the brick wall of a building, arms crossed against his chest, settling in for a long bout of boredom. Watching these bozos was not his idea of fun.

He let his mind wander a bit and found himself thinking again of the skate battle he so recently lost. He hadn’t been kidding when he said Seifer had pulled out some tricks he’d never even seen before, not just that he’d never seen the other boy do them. The one that had really blown his mind was a complicated aerial combo done off one of the higher walls. The board was kicked up so it rolled sinuously around his left leg, then he did something with his feet that caused the board to do a wicked 360-spin in a traveling roll around his ankle, ending up parallel to the ground right before he landed.

To top that, it wasn’t even sketchy. He did it smoothly, without ever compromising his balance to pull it off. It was impressive. There’d been no _way_ he could even try contest the loss after seeing something like that. Seifer was obviously a street skater of a much higher caliber. It was really annoying.

"What the hell are you doing?" Seifer called out to Hayner in a mildly annoyed voice, causing him to jump. "Get your scrawny ass over here." He was standing with his skateboard kicked up, as if interrupted mid-trick, his cronies surrounding him. They were all staring at him.

Hayner glared evilly at them all and berated himself for thinking, for even a moment, that the thug was sort of cool.  
  
He trudged up to them while they laughed.

Seifer could practically see the storm cloud forming over his head. He couldn't resist messing with the kid, though. He whined, and carried on a bit, but as soon as he felt his pride was being threatened, he was like a different creature. His movements were tighter and more controlled, while his body language became exaggeratedly open. A scowl planted itself on his face and his eyes gleamed fiercely. It was priceless.

Hayner bared his teeth in a mockery of a smile. “Yes?”

Seifer had his arms crossed over his chest, an unreadable expression on his face. “I want you to race Raijin.” He gestured vaguely at one of his lackeys with a tilt of his chin.

“…ok?”

“If you win, I’ll teach you that trick that had your mouth gaping open last time.”

“Really?!” Oh, sweet!

“Best two out of three. GO!”

Hayner scrambled. Damn Seifer, he hadn’t been ready yet! Now this Raijin kid was going to have a lead on him.  


* * *

“Not bad,” Seifer said sometime later, the corner of his mouth quirked up in a half smile. “I didn’t think you’d come back from that slow start.”

Hayner leaned on his knees, trying to catch his breath. “Yeah... thanks… for that…. jerk,” he panted. “Now… teach me,” he demanded.

Seifer tipped his board into his hand. “Alright. You begin with a nollie nose slide so you need some concrete to grind, but at the right height. The height is important. After that, it’s a modified calf wrap, which shifts into an ollie impossible right before you land.”

Hayner stared at him like he was speaking French. Backwards.

“Don’t worry about the terminology just yet, I’ll show you.” He paused, looking like he was searching for the best way to explain it. “First of all, you need to catch a lot of air to have time to pull it off. That wall over there” he pointed, “works just fine.” He lifted his board into the air, preparing to demonstrate the movements the board would make for the duration of the stunt. “Now, when you come off the wall…”

 

* * *

Hayner was vexed. That trick was DAMN hard! Seifer was an unexpectedly good teacher, though. Hayner understood the mechanics of it; now he just had to get his coordination down and timing right. He’d have it if he just practiced incessantly. 

Four hours of skating seemed to be everyone’s limit, and at some unspoken signal they all grabbed their boards and headed back to their hangout. Hayner followed suit automatically.

“Hey, runt.” Seifer called to him. Hayner turned to see that he wasn’t following the others, but was hanging back. He stopped and waited for the miscreant to catch up. “Go home. Sleep. Come back at 10 a.m. tomorrow.”  
“I get to go home?" he asked incredulously.  
  
"Why, did you want to wait on me hand and foot all night?"

"..." Hayner flushed a little. _Gah!_ It had been a simple question. Why did Seifer always have to make fun of him like that?

Seifer waved him off dismissively. "Go on, get out of here."

Seifer watched him leave. Entertaining as it was, this gofer thing was taking a lot of time away from his duties. He’d be up for a while yet. After all, he couldn’t afford to be lax and lose face. He grinned as he cracked his knuckles. Time to get to work.

* * *

TBC  
  
  
**Author’s notes:**

Hayner seems to think and act more off the wall and weirdo when around Seifer, than when he’s around Roxas. I think this is because he tends to worry about his friend, which has a bit of a sobering affect on him. Plus, Hayner is a dramatic sort of person, and Seifer plays on that intentionally.

The skateboarding is based on real stuff, but would be less flashy in real life. Creative license, yo. I’d love to see someone spin a board like helicopter blades while defying gravity. Laws of physics, pshaw. 


	3. Gofer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warnings: 
> 
> 1\. This fic is YAOI. Boys with boys. If you did not realize this, and the idea of boys being together bothers you, now would be an excellent time to stop reading.
> 
> 2\. This chapter does contain some acts of violence… Seifer *is* in a gang, so this should not be unexpected.
> 
>  **Songs for Seifer/Hayner**  
>  "Dirty Little Secret" by All American Rejects  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1j9NASRQgU
> 
> "Sugar We're Going Down" by Fall Out Boy  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ufb70h78eO4

* * *

 

 ****_ Chapter 3: Gofer  _

By the end of the first day of his torment, Hayner had been optimistic. He felt that the “gofering” wasn't really as bad as it could have been. It could have been hell.

Now, on the morning of day two, he decided it **was** hell.

As soon as he’d arrived, Seifer set him to work. It was almost as if to make up for the more or less fun activities of yesterday afternoon. Skateboarding one day turned into skateboard maintenance the next.

He groaned. Cleaning the bearings on one skateboard was bad enough, but on all _five_? It was times like these that he wished he didn't know how to do stuff like this. It was obvious that no one had bothered with this menial task for quite some time, himself included. It was pretty much brainless work, but it was annoying and took a little while to do. That, and it was messy. The bushings were probably going to be crap on some of these, but he decided not to mention it. What was the point in giving himself more work?

All told, it took him a little under 2 hours.

 _Geez, my neck hurts._ A table might have been better than the floor for doing all that, but none of them were grungy enough. He surveyed the room again. This place was posh compared to the place he and his friends hung out at. There was a small kitchen, a fridge, and real furniture. They weren't matched or anything, nor were they in perfect condition, but still. Somebody's parents must have a little money. Or connections…

“Done already?” Seifer was lounging in his favored green easy chair. It was a rather ugly shade of green, but it looked like it would be really comfortable. He was reading a skate magazine this time.

“Yeah, I just finished.” God, _please_ don't give me something else to do yet.

“Just in time for lunch.” When Hayner perked up, Seifer smiled. _Uh oh._ “Guess what you'll be making.”

 _For the 50 millionth time, I hate that jerk!_ Hayner fumed. He **_told_ ** the thug he couldn't cook, practically begged him to reconsider, and was absolutely overruled.

_“Nobody is that bad at cooking.”_

_“No, really. I can't even boil water.”_

_“You just follow the instructions! They're written right there. How hard can it be?”_

And so he found himself sent to the store, with a list of ingredients he hadn't known even existed. What the hell was tomato _paste_ anyway?

After about a half hour of wandering around, he was still missing items. He finally broke down and asked one of the employees where things were. _Seifer,_ he promised, _when I get back I'm gonna shove this 100% pure extra virgin olive oil up your-_

“That'll be $30.32, please.” The cashier said patiently, trying to ignore the incensed muttering issuing forth from the boy at her register.

“Oh, right.” Hayner fished out the money the thug had given him. At least he hadn't been expected to pay for all of this.

“Daaaamn,” said Raijin. “This is sad. _Reaaally_ sad. Maybe he can't cook afterall, boss.”

Fujin leaned over the counter. “What in the hell are you trying to make?”

“I think it was supposed to be pizza?” Vivi offered, trying to be a little less mean.

“How'd he do with the nachos?” Seifer asked as he came over.

“You mean these?” Fujin poked a plate of charcoal. “Perhaps they once **were** nachos… in another life.”

“AAaaahhh! I'm going to STARVE!!!” Rai hollered. “Kid, how does it take you THREE hours to _not_ make a pizza, and burn nachos into an unidentifiable heap?!”

Fuu dug in his pocket. “I have 10 bucks.”

Rai looked at him suspiciously. “Where'd you get that from?”

“None of your business. What've you got?”

“5 bones. Vivi?” he looked towards their other member.

“Fifteen.”

“I'll throw down 20,” Seifer added helpfully. “That'll be enough for two pies, wings, and some soda. What kind do you guys want?”

Hayner's eye was twitching at this point. He was tired, irritable, and covered in flour. What more could go wrong?

“Dr. Pepper,” said Rai.

“Jolt,” said Fujin.

“Sprite,” said Vivi.

“Coke,” added Seifer, handing the money to Hayner. “You can get it at Wing Palace, it's right around the corner.”

* * *

What could go wrong? HA! Damn them all.

He scowled at the fountain drink machine as he waited for the pizzas. It was going to be a real pain in the ass to carry 5 fountain drinks. Maybe he could just grab a two liter? Nooo, that wouldn't work. They all just **had** to order something different. He set to work filling the various cups with ice and soda, cursing them all once more, for good measure.

Luckily, Wing Palace had those cardboard drink carrier things, which made his life a bit easier. He had the bag of wings on his left arm, along with the the drink carrier in his left hand, and was balancing the two pizzas on top of his right arm. Oh, this week was sucking already.

As he approached the Hangout, he heard loud thumping music spewing out onto the street. A party? Already?? Lovely. He struggled with the door and finally managed to kick it open with his foot.

Weaving through the throng of people was no small feat. Some of them seemed to have been drinking and they kept stumbling in his way, or shouting really loudly, or bumping roughly into him.

“Oh, for Chrissakes,” Hayner muttered as he reached the counter. There were beer cans and bottles everywhere. Even the failed pizza and burnt nachos were still there cluttering the space up and there was nowhere to set anything down. He had to put the food and drinks on the floor while he cleared counter space for them.

Rai noticed him and sauntered over. “Which one's mine?”

Hayner studied the drinks a moment before pulling one out. “Here.”

“Fuu! Seifer! Vivi!” Raijin called. “Food's up!”

The others worked their way through the crowd.

Fuu snagged a plate of wings, Vivi took pizza, and Rai grabbed both.

When Seifer reached the counter, he laid a hand on Hayner's shoulder and squeezed it briefly. “Thanks, Hayner.” He pointed at one of the sodas, a bottle of liquor already in his hand. “Is that one mine?”

“Sure.”

He held up the alcohol. “Want some?”

Hayner shook his head tiredly.

“Alright.” Seifer poured some of the dark liquid into the coke, discarding the straw and lid entirely. “Rai! Rum?”

Raijin weaved his way close enough to stretch across the counter, holding his cup out. “Hit me.”

Seifer poured a liberal amount into the cup before his cell phone rang. He pulled it out of his pocket, checking the number. “Oh, gotta take this one,” he excused himself. He put down the bottle of rum as he held the phone to his ear, and grabbed his cup by the rim with his fingertips as he slipped out.

Hayner was BORED. He looked around the room, like he had been doing for the past two hours. He didn't really know any of the people here, and he resented being made to feel like an outsider. Seifer made brief appearances, in which he was working the party, or was mobbed with admirers. But just as often, he would leave the room again, holding the cell to his ear.

“Hi, cutie! Do you want to dance?!” Hayner turned to see a pretty brunette girl who was having trouble standing, addressing him. Dance? He could hardly stay awake sitting down.

“Ah, no thanks.”

“Hmpf!” Her bottom lip thrust out at that, and she stormed off on wobbly legs.

Two rejected proposals later, Hayner found himself wondering what Roxas had been up to. Maybe he could escape Seifer long enough to see his friend, before the week was up. Hell, maybe if he left now, he could see him sooner. The party was starting to have that “after hours” feel to it. People were coupling off, some doing unspeakable things in plain view. He was ready to be out of here, and it had been a while since he'd seen Seifer and the others, so they might not notice him slipping out.

“Hey there,” someone drawled throatily. Hayner turned, ready to turn this person down too.

“Roxas??” No, it wasn't him…. but it really did _look_ like him. He had slightly darker hair, was taller, and his face face was very similar. How strange. How disturbing.

“You all alone?” The boy asked him suggestively, leaning into his personal space.

“Uh, yeah, sorta…” he tried to edge about and make excuses, “but I was just about to leave, you see.”

“What a coincidence,” the Roxas look-alike leered at him. “So was I.”

“Hey, look man, I'm not really interested.” Hayner started inching for the door. If it got bad, he could run for it. He was a fair sprinter.

“That's what they all say.” The doppelganger replied, unfazed, following him.

Hayner experienced a moment of panic. This guy didn't do subtle. Hell, he wasn't doing just _obvious_ . What if he followed him **home**?

An arm slid lightly around his waist, steering him to the door, as a warm voice spoke low in his ear, "Hey, runt. If you're leaving, I'll walk you home." Seifer.

Hayner shivered. It was like a rule that someone speaking into your ear like that had that sort of effect… right?

He was very aware of the arm casually wrapped around him, as they approached the door.

"Don't mind Xavier," Seifer said, moving away as they stepped outside. "He got the hint, he's just very determined."

“Um- thanks for the help.”

“Huh?” The thug looked slightly surprised for a moment. “Oh. Yeah, sure.”

Seifer seemed to hold his alcohol pretty well, but he was lacking his usual focus. “You don't have to walk me home.” Hayner said while giving him a critical eye. “I've been there many times. I'm sure I won't get lost.”

Seifer snickered and reached a hand out to ruffle Hayner's hair. “Always the smartass,” he said affectionately.

“But, you know,” He got a serious look to his face then, “It's sort of late to be out, and I want to make sure you get back in one piece.”

Hayner sputtered indignantly and Seifer pinned him with a ‘don't argue with me’ look.

“Now look, I'm sure you can usually take care of yourself,” he held up a hand, a request for Hayner to let him finish, “but you have to consider the circumstances. I have a few enemies, see, and you are leaving a party at OUR hangout, which makes _you_ fair game. You just shouldn't go solo ‘round here at night, especially if you have associations with any of the gangs.”

“So, hanging around with you guys is bad for my health?” Hayner replied in mock horror. “And here, I'm only doing it because you're _making_ me…”

“Oh, shut it, shrimp. I'm just trying to look out for you.” Seifer cuffed him in the arm. “Besides, you placed the bet, same as me.”

“Point taken.” Hayner tilted his head in consideration as they walked. “So, that Roxas look-alike... he a friend of yours?”

“Something like that.”

“And you let him molest your guests?”

“I don't know if I'd phrase it quite like that… He's a wild card though, just sorta does what he wants… who he wants.”

“What if they don't want _him_?”

“That doesn't happen very often.”

“Sounds like you're speaking from personal experience.”

Seifer shrugged. “I've just seen it way too many times now to question it.”

“Are you trying to tell me I was in danger?” Hayner asked, shocked. He narrowed his eyes. “I don't swing that way.”

Seifer looked at him appraisingly. “He's a master at finding the weakness in any person and totally exploiting it. Sometimes, before they even knew what hit them.”

Hayner blanched. “Again, I'm in harm's way because of you.”

“But, I saved you,” he pointed out. “And I'm providing you with escort services.”

“Yeah?” Hayner retorted sarcastically, “Well, _that_ makes up for all the manual labor you've been forcing on me.”

“You agreed to the bet, so I won't take the blame on that.”

“Pft. I never agreed to slave labor.”

“You agreed to be my gofer for a week. You never had me specify the details, so that's poor planning on your part.”

“Bah.”

“Are you sure you live around here? We just walked around this circle twice.”

Hayner stopped, hands shoved in his pockets, eyeing the quaint little houses. “Hmmn.” He leaned back on his heels, then did an about face. “We're one street up.”

“Brat.” Seifer scoffed. “You said you wouldn't get lost.”

“And I didn't. I just missed my turn since I was distracted.”

“Uh-huh.” They walked the rest of the way in companionable silence.

Seifer surveyed his surroundings, losing himself in thought. These little neighborhoods were pleasantly quiet, and didn't have the feeling of _city_ about them. The houses had well-kept, tiny little yards in front of their clean, two-story facades. They practically reeked of wholesomeness and family values. It was nice, in a way, but it also made Seifer feel out of place. It was too civilized. It didn't feel _real_. It was like the people here were escaping the harsh reality of the world by ignoring it and putting up their white picket fences. It felt like walking through a scale model, everything too small, too neat, and here he was, a monster who could wreck havoc on all that tranquility.

He looked at Hayner out of the corner of his eye. Had he grown up in this place? Did it feel natural to him? Somehow, it seemed impossible that he was a product of this mentality.

“Home sweet home.” Hayner stuck his tongue out slightly.

The building they were stopped in front of looked like a cross between a gingerbread house and Barbie's dream mansion, sporting excessively frilly architecture dressed in pale yellow. The yard had its very own white picket fence, freshly painted, by the looks of it. Special pavers provided the walkway up to the house and flowerbeds everywhere were bursting forth with colorful growth. Oh, it was too much. Seifer snorted in amusement.

“You wanna make something of it?” Hayner snarled.

At that, Seifer couldn't hold it in any longer. He grabbed the fencepost for support as he quietly laughed uncontrollably. Oh god, tears were coming out of his eyes. “Cute… house,” he got out before doubling over.

Hayner kicked him in the leg. “Quit it already.” He hissed. “It's my grandma's house.”

 _Oh?_ Seifer stifled his laughter. “What about your folks?”

Hayner's eyes hardened and he looked away. “I don't want to talk about it,” he said quietly.

What was that haunted expression just now? “Hey, no problem.” He slung his arm around Hayner's shoulders and herded him to the stoop, partly to distract him from the direction their conversation had gone. “Listen, I need you to do me a favor.” Seifer leaned in as if in confidence, holding up his closed hand. “Can you hang onto this for me?” He opened his hand and on his palm was a circle of metal, a silver ring.

Hayner met Seifer's eyes and saw an intensity in their depths that he'd never seen before. The pupils were dilated, making them look almost black. They were pulling him in… it was a little like falling.

The arm left his shoulders and strong hands took his, pressing the ring into his palm and wrapping his fingers closed around it. “Thanks.” Seifer gave him a quick smile, before leaving. “I'll get it back from you later.”

 _How strange,_ Hayner thought, watching him go. Seifer always did such inexplicable things.

He unlocked the door, and locked it again behind him. The house was dark, meaning his grandma was already in bed. He really wished she'd at least leave a light on for him. He felt for the wall, and then the stair railing, making his way to his room. The second floor was pretty much his, as Nanna couldn't use the stairs anymore; the cartilage in her knees was ground down too badly.

Opening the first door on the left, he entered his room. He closed it and flopped back onto his bed, lifting his arm up so he could look at the ring. It was fairly clunky, but had an interesting wave motif along the entire band. He slipped it on his first finger and found it to be extremely loose. He twirled it around a few times before trying it on his thumb; still way too loose.

He sat up, tossing the ring from hand to hand. He needed to keep it on him, so he could give it back when Seifer wanted it. Wearing it was out, since it didn't fit, and he didn't trust himself to not lose it if he kept it in his pocket. He walked over to his dresser, setting the ring down while he rifled through the top drawer. Didn't he have that chain in here somewhere? He peered into the depths, looking for the shine of silver.

 _Ah! There it is._ It was wedged in the very back, since he didn't care much for jewelry. It was a gift from his grandmother a few years back, and was quite nice, so he always felt kind of bad about never wearing it. It was one of those chains with thick, flat links. Sturdy enough to hold a chunky ring, he supposed.

* * *

“You can go.” Seifer said later the next afternoon. It was only about 5 p.m., a lot earlier than usual. “I have business to attend to.”

“Sure.”

Seifer resumed his pacing, looking lost in thought. He'd been acting distracted for a while now, and Hayner was curious. What _kind_ of business?

Hayner shrugged, letting himself out. He started home, but decided he'd see if he couldn't find out what Seifer was up to. He walked down the street, almost to his turn, then doubled back; carefully keeping a low profile. He hid in the alleyway between two buildings where he could easily see the door to the hangout without being seen himself.

Oh, man. Patience was _not_ one of his virtues. He'd been out here for almost an hour already, and Seifer **still** hadn't left yet. Waiting was so annoying, and now he was also getting hungry.

He stuck it out, and at around 5:50, he saw the thug leave the building. _Finally!_

He followed at a distance, keeping the white trench coat barely in sight. Seifer was too aware of his surroundings for it to work any other way. He almost lost him a few times, but in the end they reached the same destination.

Hayner peeked around the corner of a building carefully, hearing heated voices.

“-if he's wearing it, and you still start shit, I'll fucking kill you.” That sounded a bit like Seifer.

“Ha, big words, man. I wonder if you can even make good on it,” someone sneered. “Or have you gone _soft_?”

Hayner could vaguely see Seifer. He was standing off against what looked like a rival gang, and he was beyond pissed. “You fuckers don't know when to quit.”

“You can't be everywhere at once, Seifer,” another one taunted. “And you've hardly been around lately anyway. What's to stop us?”

Seifer laughed, a cruel, harsh sound. “So, my word is not good enough anymore, is it?” He crouched, dragging a nearby bottle towards him by the neck and stood in one fluid motion. He took a few steps forward, and the grin on his face was warped and twisted. “Then let's settle this shit right **now**.” He smashed the glass bottle abruptly onto the concrete wall to his right. With his body poised in a half crouch, the wicked sharp edges of the bottle held at the ready, he began to circle the others. He looked ready and eager to kill.

Hayner turned around quickly, flattening his back against the wall. _This_ Seifer is the one people fear; ruling his turf with an iron fist. The bloodlust he emanated was almost palpable. He swallowed, his heart hammering in his chest. How could he have forgotten the other boy's reputation so easily? Forgotten the reasons he was treated with such awe and terror…

He heard the rush of footsteps, the scuffle of shoes on the pavement.

“Augh!” someone cried out.

“Shit! Watch the bottle!”

There was more shouting and the sounds of fists and feet hitting flesh.

“Bring him down, you assholes!”

Could Seifer take on this many at once? From the sounds of it, he was definitely holding his own.

Hayner desperately wanted to see what was happening, but he was afraid of being dragged into the fight. He wasn't really a fighter; he wasn't sure he'd make it out alive. For the first time in a long while, fear was preventing him from acting.

The fight began to sound messier, the noises growing progressively worse. Someone was moaning in pain, and someone else sounded like they were being sick.

This was the reality of such things. Violence was fast, brutal, and nauseating. It was an inescapable whirlwind, threatening to consume all in its path.

_‘I told you to get out of here, I never wanted to see you again!’ a woman cried. She’d pushed her five year old son into the broom closet and turned to face the door that was being broken down._

_‘That's not your decision to make!’ a man shouted, kicking through the door._ _‘Where is he?! Where's my son?!’_ _His voice had swiftly increased in volume as he entered the house._

 _The woman screamed and he heard her run into the next room, trying to shut the door to the bedroom. The bolt clicked in place._ _‘Please! Leave us alone!’ she sobbed._ _The man bellowed, beating at the door with something,_ _steadily splintering the wood. A final, loud crack sounded as the frame gave way._

 _Five year old_ _Hayner huddled in the broom closet, hugging his knees,_ _trying to pretend_ _that it_ _wasn't real._

Hayner shook his head, trying to rid himself of the unwanted memories. His stomach churned. He stumbled back the way he came, holding a hand up to the wall for support. He had to get away from here; away from the gangs, and away from this version of Seifer who reveled so much in lethal confrontation.

* * *

Roxas stared out the window above his desk. His eyes felt heavy, but he just couldn't seem to sleep. The insomnia happened sometimes, but it had been a while since the last occurrence. The worst part was that he could never gather the focus to actually do anything to keep himself occupied. He yawned, and propped his head on his hand.

He wondered how Hayner was doing with the whole Seifer thing. He thought it was an off the wall sort of bet they made, but maybe a week together would let them sort out their differences.

It still surprised him that the gang leader took any flack from his friend. He wasn't known for being lenient, after all.

That first time they met Seifer, Roxas knew exactly what and who they were dealing with; he was sure they'd be killed. It was incomprehensible that they came out of it unscathed, and even more baffling that they all sort of became friends in the time afterwards. Only Hayner was different. Seifer tormented him specially. Still, it was more like teasing than anything else, and Roxas wondered if the gang leader had simply just taken a liking to him.

Roxas yawned again, rocking his chair back. The sky was a weird sort of grey-black, tonight, as if there were too much light on the horizon. A sullen, sickly crescent was the only celestial body visible. The stars, if there were any, weren't discernable.

“Hello, Roxas,” a voice said quietly.

“AHH!” Roxas fell out of his chair. Rather, the chair tipped all the way over and he was still in it. He always did have the bad habit of tilting it back onto only two legs. The act of balancing just felt comfortable to him. He looked up from his new position on the floor.

A black-robed figure was sitting on his bed, face hidden, extending a gloved hand as if to help him up. He ignored it, preferring to get up quickly on his own. He did not want to be in closer quarters with this unknown person. “How did you get in here?” He knew he'd locked the door when he got home.

“…” The person said nothing, but they slumped forward, resting their elbows on their knees, head bowed.

Roxas wasn't quite sure what to do. It was bad news when people broke in _knowing_ someone was inside. It was a small room, he probably couldn't get through the door unobstructed; the burglar had some long arms. Maybe he should climb out the window?

“I'm supposed to kill you.”

“W-What?” Roxas felt his pulse begin to race. His window was on the second floor, but it was starting to look good right about now. Maybe he could make the jump without breaking anything.

“When you left, I thought you were going to disappear,” it said hoarsely, “or that you'd lose yourself.” It raised its head, and he could see the lips that were forming these words. “But then I found you…. I saw you were almost the same; you just can't remember anything.”

“What does that have to do with killing me?” he asked rather steadily, though his limbs were shaking and he couldn't make them stop. Could he talk himself through this?

“Dissenters must be eliminated,” it replied.

Roxas decided to go for the door. He'd likely lose too much time if he went out the window, as he'd have to climb onto his desk first and he didn't know if he'd have the coordination for that at the moment.

He ran out the bedroom door, skidding around the corner into the living room. _Shit!_ It was too dark, he couldn't see. He went blindly forward, hitting his shin on the coffee table. _OW!_ Damn thing was doing straight in the dumpster if he ever made it through this! He hobbled towards the front door as fast as he could.

“Roxas.” The voice was in front of him. As his eyes adjusted, he saw the figure leaning with its back against the front door, barring his way, the only way out. He was trapped.

“Look, I don't know who you are, but just leave me out of this,” he said desperately.

”I didn't tell them I found you.”

_What was that supposed to mean?_

“Great,” he whispered. “Now leave me alone.”

“I can't.” It pushed off from the door and stepped into a patch of ambient light.

The hood was no longer hiding anything. It had been pulled back completely. The intruder had long, impossibly red, spiked hair. Inverted teardrop tattoos stood out on his pale cheeks, just below his eyes. Roxas' heart skipped a beat. Those eyes held him in place. He couldn't move, couldn't look away.

“I tried to stay away,” the other said helplessly. “I didn't want them to find you through me.” A gloved hand caressed his face. “They'd kill us both.”

“Then why are you here?” Roxas asked tenuously.

“I can't help myself,” he murmured, brushing their lips together.

Roxas shuddered, closing his eyes. His would-be murderer was stirring up feelings in him he didn't know how to deal with. He felt leather-clad arms wrap around him, pulling him into a tight embrace, holding him like he was something fragile and precious. “I've missed you,” he found himself saying distantly, arms lifting to reciprocate the touch. He felt like he was coming apart, everything blanketed in a hazy fog, his voice and emotions seeming to belong to someone else. Yet, there was a nagging feeling of familiarity.

A tremor ran through the arms surrounding him, the hands clenching in his shirt convulsively. “You can't mean that,” the redhead whispered, his bowed head tucked against Roxas'. “You don't remember.” He sounded like he was trying to convince himself.

The arms relinquished their hold, hands sliding up to grasp his shoulders. Desperate aqua eyes searched his. “Do you?”

“I…” he felt overwhelmed. “I…don't know.” How could he not know? It was as if his brain were frantically trying to dig up some faded memory, something he _knew_ he should know, but failing. Tears of frustration pricked his eyes and he turned his head to hide them, pulling away from the other boy. He hugged his arms around his own body as if he were cold, folding in on himself, and shuffled slowly through the dark hallway back to his room. What was it he was trying to remember?

Axel was torn. He didn't want to push Roxas too hard, but it seemed like some part of him really did remember. If there was even a _chance_ , then he couldn't just leave it like this. This boy meant more to him then life itself, and he didn't know how much of that either of them had left.

He followed Roxas back into his room. The blond was sitting on his bed, knees drawn up to his chest, oblivious to his presence.

Axel pulled on the fingertips of his gloves, sliding them off one by one, and tossing them aside. The sound made Roxas look up and his eyes were rimmed in red. The other boy had been crying, just as he'd suspected.

Axel unhooked the chain across his chest, letting it swing to the side as he moved into the room. Roxas' eyes were intent upon him, questioning.

He grasped the zipper of his black leather robe, firmly sliding it through its track, buckling and splitting the garment open like a second skin. Roxas' gaze followed the motion, watching as bare skin was slowly revealed. Axel felt his stomach tighten at the unwitting attention. He'd never tried something like this before. He pulled the robe open, pushing it off of his shoulders, letting it slide heavily to the floor next to the bed, leaving him in only his black leather pants.

Blue eyes panned slowly up his stomach and chest, fanning the flames of desire in him with their meticulous scrutiny. They finally swept up to meet his gaze, a vulnerable quality to their azure depths.

Axel moved closer andlowered himself to the bed, never breaking eye contact as he leaned in to capture Roxas' parted lips with his. He had to be sure he wasn't forcing this; that the other boy wasn't against this.

* * *

Roxas heard a small sound escape him as the redhead's hot mouth descended on his. A tongue slipped passed his lips, filling him up, claiming him. Elegant hands ran over his chest, smoothing, caressing; tightening the aching knot in his stomach.

Oh, god, why was he reacting like this? He was on fire and he just wanted to give himself up to it, he wanted it to burn him alive.

The kiss was broken and sure hands tugged at his shirt, pulling it over his head and flinging it to the floor. Firm hands pushed him down onto the bed.

Roxas’ mind was swimming with the impossibility of it all; that he had fallen prey to those eyes so easily. Was he really going to let this happen?

Teeth grazed his skin as the redhead nuzzled his neck and chest. It was so hard to think. His skin was becoming so sensitive. He was aware of the sheets brushing his back and arms and the heat pulsing from the skin of the body above him. His eyes were drawn to the graceful lines of his form - the sculpted chest and the tapered waist that made him appear so willowy.

A hand caressed him through his shorts, and Roxas had to bite his lip to keep quiet. Heavy lidded eyes met his, desire pouring from their mysterious depths, making his breath catch. “You're beautiful,” Roxas breathed, unable to hide this truth as his heart constricted, eliciting a secret smile from his would-be lover.

“Not as much as you are to me right now, and always,” the other whispered huskily.

Axel kissed him slowly, pouring every ounce of feeling he had into it. Roxas moved beneath him, a low moan escaping his perfect lips. He couldn't hold back anymore, his last shred of control was coming undone.

He undid the catch on the boy's shorts, sliding them down his hips, and off. He stared a moment before ridding himself of his own pants, distracted by the smooth expanse of tawny skin and the graceful curve of his hip bones. His hands skimmed over Roxas' tight belly, fingertips lingering over his inner thighs. Was Roxas even ready for this? What if he hurt him?

Roxas grabbed his hand, forcing him to meet his dazed blue eyes. “You're hesitating,” he said breathily.

“I'm sorta unprepared for this,” Axel apologized, voicing his other concern. He didn't have anything with him to facilitate their joining, and coating yourself with saliva seemed rather unromantic. But, they had to use something. He refused to hurt Roxas for something as trivial as appearances.

Roxas laughed lightly, his eyes momentarily closed. “You dork.”

Axel froze. That- that was Roxas' typical obnoxious line when he thought Axel had done or said something weird. He studied the cherubic face, finding the slight smile achingly familiar.

Roxas touched his face gently, staring through to the core of him, eyes filled with longing. “Don't hold back,” he whispered.

Axel stretched him gently, distracting him with tender kisses and teasing caresses. “Ah!” the blond gasped as that hand wrapped around him. He was slowly being driven mad. Inside and out.

When the hands left him he looked up to see his lover readying himself, and the expectation made his stomach clench. He wanted to feel that strong body pressed against his, moving against him, through him. He wanted to become a part of him.

Roxas didn’t even know why he felt so strongly about it, only that he did. This seemed right, somehow. Like it was meant to be.

Axel kissed Roxas as he entered him, swallowing the inevitable sounds of pain, moaning as he felt his lover surround him. _Oh, Roxas._

He breathed harshly against the blond's neck, willing himself to stillness, giving him time to adjust.

Roxas ran his hands over red hair in a soothing motion. “It's ok, I'm fine,” he laid a kiss along Axel's jaw, causing him to smile uncertainly.

“I love you,” Axel replied quietly, spilling his secret for the first time. He began to move, not waiting for a reply. Roxas arched up into him, gasping and gripping Axel's shoulders like a lifeline, as if they could keep him from drowning.

The noises Roxas was making for him were taking him over the edge, undoing him so quickly. It was like careening off a precipice; hurtling forward with no control, unable to affect anything around youself. Then, the moment of weightlessness that came before plunging into darkness. He felt that moment rushing up behind him, threatening to shatter him into oblivion.

Roxas panted, trying to regain some sense of himself, but everything was systematically wiped away as the burning, aching, yearning centered itself immovably at the point where their bodies joined. Tears slipped unnoticed down his cheek as he held this body tightly to him, never wanting to let go. A hand took hold of his desire, stroking him, torturing him, rapidly sending him to completion. His release raced over him, accentuated by the thrusts that rocked his body, making him cry out.

Muscles tensed beneath Roxas’ hands, his lover gasping at the feel of him riding out his pleasure. He felt teeth bite harshly into his shoulder, as the redhead came, his body shuddering violently on top of him. He finally collapsed, breath coming in short pants.

Roxas listened to their breathing slow, while being cradled so gently against a reassuring heartbeat. He felt sleep tugging at him, enticing him in the midst of the warm floating sensation he was experiencing.

Axel watched a smile grace Roxas' face as he fell asleep. “Roxas, I'm sorry,” he murmured touching their foreheads together. He caressed the blond’s cheek, feeling the wetness there. “I just want to disappear with you, even if it's only for a little while.”

* * *

TBC


	4. Inescapable Truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.
> 
> I realize Fujin is supposed to be a girl. I just felt like making her a boy. AU, baby.
> 
> Also, my Raijin is not as *manly* and beefy as he is in the game. He’s a bit more bishounen, just not as ‘pretty’ as some of them. Think “rugged bishounen.”
> 
> As for Vivi, I am trying not to write him in much because he seems utterly useless. What would any self-respecting gang leader do with an itty bitty little thing like him? He can’t even do anything… he has no skillz!

 

* * *

  _Chapter 4: Inescapable Truth_

Hayner dragged his feet, on his way to his fourth day of gofering. He was both looking forward to and dreading today. He was nervous about what he had seen the day before; the sights and sounds still gave him chills as he recalled them. But he was also anxious, since he hadn't been able to make himself stay to the end. He wanted to make sure Seifer was ok. That was easy enough.  _ I'll know he's alright just as soon as I get there,  _ he reassured himself.

However, when he arrived at the hangout, one of the other members was there instead. It was Raijin. He was sitting at the counter doing a crossword puzzle, nursing a bottle of beer. “Hey, kid,” he greeted.

“Kinda early to be drinking, isn't it?” Hayner asked.

“Nah. Beer is the breakfast of champions.”

“Only until your gut catches up with you.” Hayner nodded sagely.

Raijin rolled his eyes. “Gimmie a break, kid, I've got at least 10 years for that,” he said patting his currently-not-ample waistline.

“Where's Seifer?”

“The boss is tied up, so he won't be around today.” He swiveled on the stool, handing Hayner a list of things to do. “Just do this stuff, then you can cop out and come back tomorrow afternoon.”

Hayner accepted the list numbly. Was something going on with Seifer? Had he been hurt after all? Raijin's face gave nothing away.

* * *

Axel returned to Roxas' house the next day. He had to prove this to himself. Running from the truth would not change it. 

There was a possibility that his suspicions wouldn't be confirmed.... Maybe it would be different this time. Either way, he had to  _ know _ .

The blond was sitting at the desk again, face cupped in his hands as he watched the outside world. The sun was setting magnificently.

“Roxas,” he interrupted delicately, trying not to startle him.

“Hey!” Roxas' head whipped around at the sound of his voice. “What are you doing in here?” His beautiful face was regarding him with the startled eyes of a stranger.

This was too cruel.

“Heh,” Axel laughed, but it was bitter, harsh; his voice like shards of glass, “can't seem to remember me this time, either?”

Roxas shook his head slowly, bewilderment clouding his face.

Axel's composure was threatening to crack. Roxas' memory about anything related to Organization 13 faded as soon as it was formed. It wasn't his fault; it was just how the Org. protected itself. You can't know something exists if you can't remember it. Still, he longed to see the light of acknowledgement in those eyes; to be  _ recognized _ . And after what they had shared…

Axel cursed himself for thinking things would just work themselves out. It was  _ his fault _ for not being able to stop, for being unable to leave things alone. Now Roxas would never remember their first, and maybe only, time together. 

In the light of the new day, he felt like he had taken Roxas against his will and a sense of wrongness ate away at him. How could he have been so selfish?! He closed the distance between them, pulling the surprised boy into his arms, clutching him tightly. Why couldn't Roxas have stayed with him, instead of vanishing like he did? Wouldn't it have been different between them then?

“Roxas,” Axel said brokenly, tears streaming down his face, “why did you leave me?”

Roxas stood woodenly. If he truly didn't know this person, then why did he feel like his heart was breaking?

* * *

Hayner called Roxas up the next day, hoping they could hang out or something. He needed a distraction. He wasn't expected back at the gang's hangout until the afternoon, and the wait was killing him. Would Seifer be there this time? Or, would he be mysteriously indisposed yet again? What if he’d gotten arrested for killing those guys? What if he was  _ dead _ ? 

The line kept ringing. “Dammit, Roxas, answer your phone!” he muttered as he paced, letting the phone ring a little longer before giving up.

He stood there in the middle of his room, contemplating a course of action. 

Nodding to himself, he slid on his shoes, grabbed his keys and left the house. 

It was Roxas fault he'd soon be bothered. How dare he be unreachable? And on his unexpected day of freedom! He shrugged, he wasn't actually angry; he was just composing the rant he intended to deliver to his best friend. Just in case he needed an excuse for showing up unannounced. 

Hayner whistled a mangled version of The Cure’s  _ Inbetween Days _ as he strolled down the street. Since when was he so restless? He liked to keep busy and all, but this was ridiculous.

Roxas' place wasn't too far from his grandmother's but it was in a different sort of residential area. Instead of a traditional neighborhood, like his own, Roxas lived in a 3-tier apartment complex just before the center of town. Whoever picked the colors for the building should be tortured and shot. It was a putrid grey with trim the color of mummified oranges. What was wrong with white? Or beige? Still, it was better than the apartment complex next to it, which was decked out in horrifying shades of flamingo pink. The person who chose that color scheme needed to be burned at the stake. Repeatedly.

Hayner decided against ringing the doorbell in favor of throwing rocks at the window. He always liked a challenge. Besides, he was feeling the need to be spontaneous.

He found a suitable stone, cocked his arm, and sent it flying.

_ TAK! _

Hayner winced. Ok, a smaller one then. His eyes swept the ground until he found a small pebble.

_ Tak! _

Ah. Much better. He wasn't trying to  _ break _ the window after all.

_Tak!_ _Tak!_

_ There's two in a row, can we make it three? Nah, let's skip straight to four.  _ He readied four pebbles, two in each hand, sticking his tongue out in concentration as he prepared to fling the stones with precision timing. Left hand, right hand, left, right.

_ Tak! Tak! Tak! Tak! _

Oooo, perfect!

A disheveled blonde head poked out of the window, glaring crossly while trying to look awake. “Hayner,” Roxas called down to him, “am I going to have to kill you?”

“No,” he replied cheerfully. “But, you can let me in.”

Roxas grumbled something that sounded suspiciously like “Why me?” before disappearing from the window.

Hayner took the stairs two at a time, but compensated for it by slowing his steps. He turned the knob on the grossly orange door and found it was still locked.

“Rooooooxaaaaaaaaaaaasss! Let me in.”

“Hang on,” came the muffled reply.

“ _ Now _ , or I'll find something more annoying to do than flinging rocks at your window,” he called. Man, he was being obnoxious today. He smiled, rocking back onto his heels.

The deadbolt kicked back and the door opened partway. Roxas was walking back into the living room as he finished pulling a shirt over his head. Hayner quirked a brow as he slipped inside. Had he just seen a bite mark on his friend's left shoulder? “Did you just wake up?” He nudged the door shut behind him, following him into the room.

Roxas flopped onto the couch, resting his head on the back, and threw an arm over his eyes to block out the light. “Yes,” he muttered.

Hayner sat on the floor, then leaned back, propping himself up on his elbows. “I didn't expect you to be in bed at 11am,” he mused.

“I seem to be sleeping a lot lately. I don't know why. Maybe I'm just not sleeping well, so I'm sleeping longer to make up for it?”

“Sounds plausible,” he said agreeably. “Are you awake now? Want me to grab you something from the fridge?”

“Can you see if I have a can of tea in there?”

“Sure,” Hayner said, jumping up. Wow. Was he restless, or what? He went to the kitchen, opened the door of the fridge, and peered inside while he contemplated his next question. There were two cans of tea, but he hated the stuff, so he just grabbed one. He shuffled back over to Roxas and gave him a scrutinizing look. Just how does one acquire a bite mark like that? One that looks so very distinctly like human teeth marks… “Here,” he said, holding the can out. An enraged cannibal? A passionate rendezvous? Neither seemed more likely than the other.

“Thanks.” Roxas accepted the beverage gratefully.

“So, ah…. anything happen while I've been gone?”

Roxas thought for a few minutes. He really looked as if he was considering whether or not to disclose some highly questionable information.

“No,” he said definitively.

No?? Surely  _ something _ had happened. “Are you  _ sure _ ?” Hayner pressed him.

Roxas threw him an annoyed look. Being bored out of his mind and also suffering insomnia really couldn't be worth noting. “YES. Why?”

Hayner laid back on the floor and began lightly tapping his shoes together. “Huh.” he replied with bewilderment. “You haven't been molested by anyone who looks like you, have you?”

Roxas choked on his tea. “Excuse me??” he coughed out. “Was that even  _ supposed _ to make any sense?”

“No? Well, there was this guy at the party Seifer's gang threw who was hitting on me, and he looks  _ just _ like you. He's apparently a master of persuasion. I thought maybe he got to you somehow.”

“Was that supposed to be  **logic** you used just now?” Roxas asked incredulously.

“Sort of,” Hayner said reluctantly.

“…um, Hayner, maybe Seifer is a bad influence on you after all.”

“Eh, he's not so bad.”

“Oh?” Roxas rounded on him. “I thought you couldn't stand him?” Hayner looked a little shifty.

“He's been more… civil lately.”

“From the way I remember it, you were always the one instigating something.” Roxas watched him as he took a sip of his beverage.

Hayner waved the comment away. “It's all a matter of perspective.” He got to his feet, heading for the TV. “How about a game?” he suggested. He knelt in front of the cabinet, and reached his arm in to grab the bin of games out of the back, not noticing the chain he was wearing slipping out the neck of his shirt. “I challenge you to…”he riffled through the boxes, “Soul Calibur or Tekken.” He turned, brandishing the chosen titles. Roxas was giving him a peculiar look. “What? You want Dr. Mario or something instead?”

“No, no, it's not that, any of those is fine.” Roxas squinted at him. That reeeeally looked like… “What's that around your neck?”

Hayner looked perplexed a moment.

“Isn't that Seifer's ring?” Roxas pointed.

“Oh!” Hayner picked up the end of the chain, shoving it and the ring back underneath his shirt. “Yeah, it is. How'd you know?”

“Well, he's been wearing it as long as I've known him…” Roxas said slowly. Why would Hayner be wearing Seifer's ring around his neck? Wasn't that something you did if you were, you know,  _ with _ somebody? “Uh- is there a reason why you have it?”

“Yeah. He asked me to hold onto it for him. Weird, huh?”

“He asked you to  _ wear _ it?” That sounded suspicious.

“No, he just asked me to hold onto it for a while.” Hayner shrugged. “Part of my gofer duties, I guess. I just threw it on this old chain I had so I don't lose it, and I can give it back whenever he wants it.”

That sounded suspicious too. Couldn't he technically keep the ring at his house? He didn't live far away and it would take him 20 minutes or so to retrieve it for Seifer whenever… he… “Hang on a second,” Roxas sat upright, “why are you here?”

“Hm?”

“Why are you  _ here _ ? Aren't you still providing slave labor under contract for another few days? What are you doing hanging out with me?”

“Oh,” Hayner said distractedly, putting the games down. “Seifer sorta went MIA, and one of the guys told me not to come back till this afternoon.” He attempted a smile. “Cool, huh?” Why was so worried about this? He should be happy he hadn't had to deal with the thug for over a day.

“Hayner, did something happen?” Roxas asked carefully. His friend had had the strangest expression flit over his face just now. It might also explain his recent behavior.

Hayner hung his head. “Not that I know of,” he said quietly. Images from the fight flashed in front of his eyes. Icy eyes blazing with malice. A maniacal grin. The sounds of pain… His stomach lurched. How could he be so afraid of someone, yet worry about them at the same time? “But,” he said heavily, looking up at Roxas, “I think I saw something I shouldn't have.”

All of the previous restlessness and silliness in the wavy-haired boy had seemingly evaporated. His face was drawn; mouth set in a firm line. The best word to describe him now would be… subdued. Roxas abandoned the couch to sit on the floor by Hayner. “Go on,” he encouraged.

Hayner told him about trailing Seifer, and the fight he witnessed, but he left out the part involving his own background. He didn't want anyone to know about that. It made it harder to forget. And sympathy undermined his strength, made him want to break down and made him feel like some poor traumatized victim. It wasn't helpful.

“So, I don't know…” Hayner trailed, “I guess I've just never seen something like that.”

“You're wondering if he'll even show up today, aren't you?”

“Well, yeah. What do I do if he's still gone? There's no way for me to find out anything.” Hayner caught himself, he was trying  _ not _ to sound anxious. No, he told himself, he  _ wasn't _ worried. “I mean,” he continued with forced bravado, “I guess I'm off the hook if that happens, right?”

Roxas just looked at him. Hayner was pathetic at hiding his emotions sometimes. It was obvious this was bothering him, but why was he trying to cover it up? “Either way, you'll know in a few hours,” he said, clapping Hayner on the shoulder and giving him an earnest look. “C'mon let’s go grab something to eat,” he proposed, getting to his feet. “I'll beat your ass at Soul Calibur when we get back,” he added slyly.

Hayner, already on his feet, took the out gratefully. “Ha! Who says you can even beat me?” he challenged. “I OWNED you last time.”

“I've had days of nothing to do while you’ve been gone… you can't even  _ imagine _ the skills I've obtained,” Roxas threw over his shoulder as he walked out the door.

“Pfft.” Hayner stared him down in the doorway. “I bet you lunch that you can't do it.” He grinned.

“Don't cry to me when you lose,” he replied, locking the door behind them.

* * *

“Are you going to tell us what that fight was all about yet?” Raijin crossed his arms over his chest, his chiseled jaw set stubbornly.

“No,” Seifer replied easily. “Ow! Watch it, Fuu!” The silver haired boy was ripping the old Tiger Balm patch off of Seifer's ribs so he could put a new one on.

Fuujin looked up from his work, shaking his head. “It's not my fault you did this first one yourself. You slapped the adhesive right over the abrasion you have toward the back.”

“Yeah, well I didn't want you guys nagging at me, so I took care of it myself.”

“Lotta good that did you,” the boy said under his breath, removing the rest of the patch. “You're lucky that kick didn't break your ribs,” he added, glaring at his leader. “Is there a reason you didn't feel the need to have us at your back?”

“Look, it was nothing I couldn't take care of.”

Fuu sighed in exasperation. It was thinking like that which was so vexing. This could've easily gone a lot worse. Seifer could take anyone one-on-one but one against four was stretching it. There's no way to account for that many people in a no-holds-barred fight, which is why Seifer should have brought  _ them _ along. Fuu slapped the new patch solidly onto Seifer's side.

“OW, Goddamnit!” Seifer hollered.

“Boss,” Raijin interjected.

“What?” Seifer growled, glowering at Fuu.

“Did you think we couldn't back you up?”

Seifer threw his gaze upon his second in command. His large shoulders were stiff, fists clenched at his sides, and he stared challengingly. He looked angry.

Seifer contemplated his subordinates. Rai was taller than him, built solid as a tree, and was one of the strongest guys he knew. He was a natural brawler, had proven himself to be unerringly loyal, and could absolutely demolish their opponents. Fuu, on the other hand, was androgynous and slender, and was often mistaken for being a girl. But he was the best knife fighter Seifer had ever seen; his speed was incredible. “Of course not.” He couldn't have asked for better than these two.

“It was just business,” Seifer said cagily. “I had a score to settle.” He had to handle his own battles sometimes. It wasn't because he didn't trust his comrades; it was because he needed to force the other gangs to maintain some respect. He needed to put across how personally he was taking some of this, and how far he could go to lay down the law. He just wasn't a hands-off type of person; it annoyed him when people let others handle everything for them.

He’d messed them up pretty bad, dispatching one with the bottle early on and another with a few slashes and a brutal kick to the gut. He had just ditched the bottle, and was squaring off against the leader, when the guy pulled a blade on him. It was a sufficient distraction. The other jackass got under his guard from behind, sending a vicious kick across his right ribs. It was a badly timed shot, which is the only reason he got off with such a light injury. He’d spun around to his left, keeping within his opponent's guard, his arm poised for the strike. He could feel the attacking leg brushing his back, as it had not yet hit the ground, as he knocked the guy out with a solid knife-hand to the throat. Of course, the leader chose that moment to come at him with the knife. Stupid thugs.

“It was about that  **kid** , wasn't it?” Rai demanded.

Seifer locked gazes with the brunet. “Yeah,” he said, getting to his feet. “You got something to say about that?”

“What's the deal, Seifer?” he ranted, gesturing angrily. “You've never kept stuff from us like this before. And you’re having us cover for you while you're gone, which isn't easy, while you're messing around with this Hayner kid. Is he supposed to be part of our gang now, or what?”

“No.” This was getting irritating.

“So you're protecting him, and he's not even one of ours?” Rai clasped a hand to his head, laughing in disbelief.

_ Deep breaths, _ Seifer thought to himself. He didn't need to pick fights with his own people, but this was a touchy subject with him. It still really pissed him off that those bastards were going to target Hayner simply because they'd seen them together a few times. “I won't let anyone threaten people for associating with me.”

“You never cared about that before,” Rai said stubbornly.

“Are you  **_questioning_ ** me?” Seifer was really starting to lose his temper. He could feel the adrenaline trickling into his system, making his muscles twitch. Being the leader did NOT make him have to answer to anyone. If he said something was his own damn business, they’d  _ better  _ leave it well alone. And if Rai wanted to push him, then he was ready to take this further. He took a menacing step forward.

Fuu slipped over to Rai, hoping to intervene before things got ugly. He put a hand on his arm to get his attention, giving the taller boy a stern look and a shake of his head. He could tell Seifer was close to exploding. It was better just to stop this for now. “Excuse us, Seifer, we'll be going now.” He quickly herded the muscled boy out of the room, not waiting for a response.

Rai let Fuu have his way, allowing himself to be ushered from the room and out of the building; but he was still seething. “Do  _ you _ know what the hell he's doing?” he blurted out as soon as he was sure they were out of earshot.

Fuu sighed, hanging his head tiredl and dragging his feet. All that tension really wiped him out. “How am  **I** supposed to know what goes on in his head?”

Rai shrugged. “It's just- well, he isn't acting like himself lately. He wouldn't normally have us pick up all this slack-“

“Because he'd be out there with us,” Fuu interjected pointedly.

“Right, right. But that's what I'm  _ saying _ . Why did he even  _ make _ a bet like that? He would've known it'd keep him too busy too keep up with everything else.”

Fuu had his own thoughts on the matter, but he didn't think Raijin would understand. “Maybe he just needed a change.”

“But why tie himself to the kid? I mean, nothing against Hayner, but the two of them seemed to rub each other the wrong way from the get go. And then going solo in a fight?”

Nope, Rai definitely wouldn't understand. Fuu groaned inwardly. He could be really thick about ‘people’ stuff. “If Hayner had really set him off, they would have just fought it out by now. But I think they have more in common than it seems; Hayner just always cops an attitude.” He gave Rai a deadpan look. “And don't you think Seifer feels a bit responsible for his safety while he's around us? The kid obviously isn't a fighter. What's he supposed to do if a gang goes after him?”

Rai kicked at a rock while he walked. “Yeah, I guess. But why would they go to the trouble?”

Fuu shrugged. It was hard to say what they'd hoped to accomplish. All they would know is that he showed up one day, keeping exclusive company with Seifer for long periods of time. Given the improbability of them knowing about the bet, he'd have to say that they were speculating about Hayner's relationship with Seifer. Taking that into consideration, it seems they were trying to threaten Seifer's position by attacking someone very close to him. 

The thing that was puzzling was that Seifer had felt the need to answer this call-out alone. Hmmmn.

“You shouldn't get so jealous, Rai. He isn't trying to replace you.”

“Yeah, well I wonder sometimes,” he muttered.

“You've been his second for  _ years _ , for good reason,” Fujin clapped him on the shoulder. “Hayner couldn't take that place, and Seifer would never want him to. Whatever is going on with that is outside of gang stuff.”

“You think that's why the boss was getting so testy about it?”

“Most likely.” Fuu paused to look at his watch. “Hey, why don't we go to the arcade while we wait for Seifer to cool down?”

“Sounds good.”

* * *

Seifer paced.

He hadn't expected them both to leave like that, though he was glad they did. He'd been a bit high strung lately. And a fight with Rai would be no laughing matter; he'd seen the damage those hands could do. He'd have to go all out, fighting dirty to get the upper hand, and he really didn't wish to brutalize his friend. That sort of fighting should be reserved for enemies.

Shit. Maybe a drink would straighten him out. He fished a bottle of Crown out of a drawer, taking a few swigs of the potent liquor.

He grabbed a seat on one of the bar stools, bottle in hand, resting his elbows on the countertop. This week had turned out to be rather stressful. Not that he regretted it; it was just different than he'd thought it would be. He'd had no idea how thoroughly  _ immersed _ he was with all of this gang bullshit. He'd really believed he could take a few days away from it, no problem, only to find he had a noose around his neck as it pulled tighter.

He downed another mouthful of the amber liquid. If he was honest with himself, he hadn't thought the bet through nearly enough. He'd just wanted to force his way past the attitude Hayner always gave him. He hadn't meant to get him tangled up in all this other stuff.

He vaguely wondered if the blond boy was going to show up today. It would be understandable if he didn't. The time off from gofering was inconsistent with the deal they'd made, so Hayner would be within his rights to ditch the rest of it. The thought made him feel a weird sort of disappointment.

Of course, he could always fight Hayner on that. He was within  **his** rights to set the time and place of the arrangement, and it was up to him if he skipped days or not, right? 

Besides, he knew where Hayner lived and if it came down to it, he could just drag him back for the remaining days.

He took another sip of Crown, feeling better already.

* * *

 TBC


	5. b-volley

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.

 

* * *

_Chapter 5: b-volley_

Hayner's hand hovered over the doorknob to the gang's hangout. This trepidation… was it worry that Seifer would be missing yet again, or was it fear that he  _ would _ be here? Hayner tried to brush it off. Either way, it didn't change the fact that he needed to go through this door. His hand closed around the metal. With one last mental rally, he turned it and pushed the door open.

It was a little dark in the room, even though the sun was still hours from setting. 

The white of Seifer's trench coat stood out in the gloom. He was sitting at the bar, with his back turned. Hayner closed the door silently and crept up behind the other boy. Seifer seemed to be too lost in thought to notice his stealthy movements. His hand was wrapped around a nearly empty bottle of alcohol. 

“What's with you guys and drinking so early in the day?” Hayner whispered, as he poked his head over Seifer's shoulder. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to sneak up on and startle him, but he just couldn't help himself.

“Jeezus!” Seifer jumped, whipping around to face him. “Brat, what are you doing skulking around here?”

Hayner shrugged, trying to smother the smirk that was threatening to surface on his face. This was the first time he'd seen the gang leader caught off guard. He breathed a sigh of relief, Seifer seemed to be ok and was acting normal. Well, what accounted for normal for  _ him _ . He was also lucky he didn't startle him into a violent assault. Seifer easily could've whipped his fist out reflexively, and clocked him in the face. “I thought I was  _ supposed  _ to be here.”

“Yeah… but not sneakily.” He turned to face Hayner. “That's dangerous, you know.”

Yup, too bad he figured that out after the fact. Oh, well. “So, what horrors will you be forcing on me today?” The light-eyed thug regarded him seriously for a moment before slipping sinuously off the stool, abs stretched taut for what seemed like an eternity. How did he make such a simple movement look so… captivating? Ha. He probably practiced doing stuff like that when no one was around to see, so he could pull it off `naturally'.

Seifer placed a hand on Hayner's shoulder for support, his fingertips brushing the other boy's neck. His balance felt like it was a bit off. Maybe he’d hit the crown a little too hard. He leaned rather heavily on the camo-clad boy. “I'm too damn tired to think of anything for you to do right now,” he said rubbing his eyes with his other hand. “Why don't we just do something else in the meantime?”

“Ok, any ideas?” That was unexpected. He thought for sure there'd be loads of stuff for him to do today after the break.

Seifer looked askance at him, still holding on to his tantalizingly warm shoulder. Why did his brown eyes look so rich and inviting? He felt himself leaning forward and only caught himself at the last moment.  _ God, he was losing it. _ He shook his head. It must be the alcohol talking. He really shouldn't have had so much to drink when he knew Hayner might be showing up. “We'll do whatever you want, so just pick something. I don't care.” He propelled Hayner out the door.

Hayner wondered about that last look Seifer had given him, as they headed outside. Something about it was so compelling, but he wasn't really sure what. He'd shivered when he felt fingertips run up the nape of his neck. And he could've sworn they’d drifted closer together a moment before Seifer spoke - his eyes had seemed so much larger than usual. Strange. But it seemed like Seifer had been drinking before he'd arrived, so that accounted for the unusual behavior. His motor skills were sloppy, his coordination was crap and he was having trouble focusing. How sad.

“How about the beach?” Hayner suggested.

Seifer shrugged.

“I'll take that as a yes.” It had been way too long since he'd been to the ocean. Funny how when you live so close, you find you never make time to go.

The beach was a 20 minute walk from the hangout.

It was an extremely uneventful 20 minutes. Hayner groaned inwardly, slanting a weary look at Seifer. The thug hadn't said a word since they'd started walking. He seemed distracted, slinking along with his hands shoved in his pockets. Or maybe he was just tired. It was hard to tell. 

Hayner rubbed his eyes lightly with the heels of his hands. Geez, here he'd thought not having to work would be a good thing. This was just awkward. He wanted to break the silence, but he didn't know what to say. He couldn't ask about the fight he’d witnessed, even though he dearly wanted to. He wasn't sure how the gang leader would take it if he told him that he'd followed him.

“Oooo, volleyball!” Hayner exclaimed suddenly. They'd finally reached the beach area and, as they made it around the facilities building, they could see that a furious game of beach volleyball was in progress. They sat on a picnic table bench under one of the many pavilions, grabbing one that was only about 10 feet from the game so they could watch.

“You like volleyball?” Seifer asked, pulling out a pack of cigarettes and tapping one forward. He cocked an eyebrow at the younger boy. “You play?”

“Yeah,” Hayner's eyes were fastened to the action, like he was trying to absorb every detail. “I used to play a lot a few years back with a local team.”

“You any good?” Seifer gave him a calculating look, cupping his hands as he lit the cigarette dangling from his lips. He took a long drag, making the tip glow a fiery orange.

Hayner frowned. “Decent. Why?”

“It looks like one of the teams is short.” He gestured at the players. “Why don't you go play as a stand-in?”

Hayner surveyed both teams, doing a quick count in his head. He was right, they were one man short on one side. Hmn. Maybe he could. It was always a pain to keep up a game when you were missing players. But what was Seifer supposed to do if he left to go play? He gave the skully-wearing boy a questioning look.

“What are  _ you _ gonna do then?”

“I'll just watch.” Seifer took another drag and let it out slowly. “Go on.” He made a languid shooing motion with his hand.

Hayner shrugged and slipped off his shoes before approaching the players. As soon as there was a natural break in the action, he sidled up to the net and waved one of the closer people over. Instead of just the one, three people actually came. “Hey,” he said, addressing both boys and the girl. “I was just wondering if you guys might want a stand-in?” He really hoped they did. It would be sorta embarrassing to get turned away.

“Water break!” the girl called out over her shoulder, dispersing the players on both sides temporarily.

One of the guys, a brunet, grabbed his arm and held it aloft, one hand cupping his triceps while the other hand loosely held his. He ran his eyes from shoulder to wrist looking as if he were evaluating his muscles. “He'll do,” the boy announced, releasing Hayner's arm with a wink and a grin.

The second boy, the one with the purple Mohawk and jade green eyes, looked him up and down. “On one condition,” he said seriously, looking Hayner in the eye.

Hayner was puzzled. “Ok, what's that?”

“Lose the shirt.” The boy with the Mohawk grinned mischievously. “You're way overdressed for b-volley.”

The brunet laughed with what looked like a slight smirk on his face.

Hayner shrugged his consent, blushing slightly. Were they all going to stare while he ditched his shirt? What was he, a stripper?

“Oh, how  _ cute _ !” The girl cooed when she spied the light flush to his cheeks. She jumped up and down and giggled, making her red pigtails bounce. “Isn't he  **adorable** ?”

Adorable? That was a degrading description for a boy, he thought as he pulled off his jacket. He snuck a look at his teammates, and confirmed that they were all avidly watching him. He sighed. All the other guys were just in shorts and swim trunks, so he shouldn't feel weird… but he wasn't used to being stared at like this. He grabbed the bottom of his black shirt and pulled it up over his head.

“So, what's your name?” the brunet asked him with a smile. “I'm Zane.”

“Hayner.”

“I'm Trixie,” the red-haired girl said.

“Bo,” the mohawk wearing boy introduced himself with an obvious pan up Hayner's chest.

“Uh - nice to meet you,” Hayner replied, a bit flustered, balling his clothes in his hands.

“Oooo,” Trixie leaned forward and pointed at the chain around his neck, “You're wearing someone's ring!” she said with surprise, sweeping her eyes up to meet his. “Aw, does that mean you're already taken?”

“No, no, I'm just hanging on to it for a friend.”

Trixie gave him a skeptical look.

“My bet is he's with the guy in the trench coat,” Zane speculated casually with a jerk of his thumb in Seifer's direction.

“Well, we came here together-” Hayner began, missing the brunet's meaning.

Trixie took a long look at Seifer, as he lounged in the shade, sizing him up. He noticed her watching him, so he inclined his head with a sharp smile. She whipped around to face them again. “Oh, he is HOT,” she whispered, fanning herself with a hand. She paused, and gave Hayner an envious look. “That's  _ his _ ring, isn't it?”

“Yeah, but-”

“See?” Zane said, “They're  _ together _ .”

“What?!” Hayner spluttered “Hey - it's not like that.”

“Isn't it?” Bo asked innocently.

“No! He's just a-,”  _ Thug? Miscreant? Slave driver?  _ “a friend,” he finished lamely.

Bo looked between him and Seifer. “If you say so.”

“Are we gonna play any volleyball here, or are we just gonna talk all day?” Hayner asked imploringly.

“We play!” Trixie cheered. She cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted out to all the players, “Break over!”

* * *

Seifer watched the exchange with barely concealed amusement. Hayner was blushing like a schoolgirl. The poor kid was having a tough time fending off his obviously flirtatious teammates. The boys had looked like they were going to jump him as he removed his shirt. He couldn't blame them. Hayner had a naturally lithe body and a nicely muscled chest and arms, probably coaxed into being by lifting weights.

Only next to himself, or a bodybuilder, would he look diminutive. Next to most other people, he looked buff. And the nervous blushing just made you want to put the moves on him just to get a reaction… made you want to hear what sort of noises he'd make when drowning in passion.

He saw the red-haired girl point to Hayner's chest, looking over at him questioningly. Seifer squinted and saw the sun flash off a silver chain around the boy's neck and the silver ring that hung there.  **That** was a surprise. He hadn't known Hayner was  _ wearing  _ his ring. It gave him a smug satisfaction to see something of his worn by the blond boy, even though he probably didn't realize the implications of such. 

The brunet hiked his thumb in Seifer's direction, at which point Hayner emphatically shook his head ‘no’.

The girl threw Seifer a long look over her shoulder, trying to determine if he and Hayner were together or not. He returned it with a possessive smile, a silent warning that he was moving in on the other boy and would not appreciate anyone getting in the way. She turned around quickly and soon the other two rounded on the blond boy, throwing looks between him and their new team member. It was clear they were jumping to the conclusion that the two of them were together, which wasn't surprising. Why else would you wear someone's ring around your neck?

Hayner was becoming increasingly flustered being surrounded by his teammates; they teased him and shot meaningful looks over his head while he floundered. He was a little too innocent for his own good, Seifer thought fondly.

* * *

The game dragged on late, finishing up after the day's warmth had started to wane. Seifer guessed it to be about 6 p.m. when Hayner returned to him, looking enticingly windblown and shirtless.

“See you guys!” he called back at his comrades, waving.

It seemed that during the game the blond had gotten a lot more comfortable with them. Now they were all smiles, acting like old buddies. A lone catcall followed him as he approached Seifer, to which he responded good-naturedly with a rude gesture.

Seifer got to his feet and stretched, heading out of the pavilion.

“Hey - wait,” Hayner was hopping on one foot as he secured a shoe. The thug was leaving without him. “Seifer!” Damn, couldn't he wait a second? He got the other shoe crammed on and ran to catch up. He didn't miss the amused look Seifer shot him.

“I want to get some ice cream while we're here,” Hayner said a little snottily, indicating a shop on the other side of the street. Seifer kept that amused expression, as they walked to the storefront, making Hayner scowl. What was so damn funny?

Seifer stopped just in front of the ice cream parlor's door. “You going in?” he asked.

“Yeah,” Hayner drawled in annoyance. Wasn't that the point?

Seifer pointed at a sign that neatly read:  _ ‘No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service.’ _

Hayner turned red.

His shirt and jacket were still in his hand and even this small distance from the beach, being nude from the waist up looked horribly out of place. He cursed and struggled into the garments. He had completely forgotten to put them back on which, he decided, was Seifer's fault for rushing him.

He collected himself and found the miscreant holding the door open for him, in mock consideration, a smirk plainly evident on his face. Hayner glared as he brushed past.  _ Oh, yeah, laugh it up you bastard. _

He was not going to let the thug top him with that, he would keep his cool. He ignored Seifer, as he sauntered up alongside him, and studied the sea salt ice cream varieties with determination. Okay… he could get mango lime, or maybe the raspberry lemonade….oh wait- that one was wretchedly pink. Perhaps vanilla tangerine would be good?

“I'll take the frozen coffee thing,” Seifer was saying, “and that one,” he gestured to something in the case, “for my lackey.”

“Very good, sir,” the man at the register said as he accepted Seifer's money.

“Eh?” Hayner was ripped from his musings. Lackey?? How could Seifer possibly call him that with a straight face?

“Here you are, young sir,” said the strangely butler-esque sales clerk, holding out the frozen desert to him.

A neon pink concoction loomed menacingly in front of his eyes.  _ What a horror _ , he thought, taking it gingerly since he didn't know what else to do. Seifer, he noticed, had a rich looking coffee with crushed ice. What the hell was he supposed to do with a PINK popsicle?? He fumed.

He slouched over to one of the dainty wrought iron dinettes and slumped into a seat.

Seifer took the seat across from him, watching him expectantly and sipping his infinitely better looking iced caffeine. “Problem?” he asked in a voice that could have passed for one containing a shred of decency.

“You,” Hayner pointed the ghastly thing at him threateningly, “are doing this on purpose.”

“Doing what? I thought you wanted that one,” Seifer feigned innocence. “You were looking at it the longest.”

“With  _ horror, _ ” he said, aggrieved.

“Who cares how it looks? How does it taste?”

_ Stupid jerk. Didn't even bother to ask what I wanted.  _ **_Fine,_ ** _ have it your way.  _ Hayner locked eyes with Seifer challengingly. He held the popsicle up to his lips, sweeping his tongue delicately and slowly up its entire pink length. Seifer was watching him in an almost fixated manner. He wasn't even blinking as he followed the motion with his eyes. Hayner felt a giddy rush of power, as those strangely intense eyes shifted to his. He brought the tip of the popsicle into his mouth and savagely bit the top off. The thug winced almost imperceptibly.  _ Ha! _ he thought as he chewed.

“Oh, hey,” Hayner said, slightly surprised, unwittingly breaking some of the tension. “It's pretty good.” He took another bite, crunching through the sweet-sour iciness. “How's yours?” he asked with interest.

Seifer held his cup out to him, “Wanna try it?”

“Ok.”

The blond grabbed hold of his cup, and consequently Seifer's fingers, as he leaned forward to take a sip. His eyelids lowered as he took the straw into his mouth, forming shadowed crescents over his smooth skin. Seifer watched as he pulled the iced coffee up the clear tube, impossibly slow, and into his mouth, his throat working as he swallowed.

Seifer's heart was starting to pound a bit harder in his chest, warmth flooding his body suddenly. Damn. Was the kid doing this to him on purpose? It was hard to tell if it was innocent or not.

Warm brown eyes met his, lids at half mast as Hayner pulled back. “It's good,” he said lazily, fingers still touching his and his light pink tongue darting out to lick his lips. Seifer had to hold himself back. He was dangerously close to pulling the tease over the table and crushing that mouth to his, consequences be damned.

_ I'll show  _ **_him_ ** ‘ _ good’. _ “I thought so too,” Seifer said instead.

Hayner leaned back in his chair, crunching through the rest of his popsicle, as if the last 5 minutes had never happened.

Seifer cringed. It was ghastly. Who the hell eats them like that anyway?

“I thought you were only paying if I won the bet.” Hayner’s brown eyes were normal again. “What gives?”

Seifer shrugged. “For some reason I'm taking pity on you. Don't question it.”  _ Not that you deserve it after all that, you little brat.  _ He tried to push thoughts of ravishing Hayner firmly out of his mind.

“Hn. If only I hadn't lost that bet,” the blond muttered to himself. “…it's embarrassing to have you pay. And then you order me weird stuff.”

Seifer had to admit that he was being a bit lecherous when he'd ordered for the other boy, pink being somewhat close to skin color when it came to certain body parts. Well, more so than the blues, greens, and bright oranges of the other popsicles. It was a shame he'd had to eat it in such an unlikely way. “Then the only difference would be that you weren't my gofer.”

“How's that?”

“I said if you won, I'd buy you ice cream for a month.”

“Yeah, but then I wouldn't have to sit here and have you pay.”

“I never specified that,” he said with a sly smile. “I was going to personally pay for each and every one to sour your victory.”

“Aw, man!” Hayner sighed harshly, looking dejected. “It was win/win for you then. Either way, you'd get to torment me.”

“Either way, I'd get to see you every day,” he threw out casually.

Hayner started. “Why in the hell would you want  _ that _ ?” He seemed perplexed. “We always fight. I thought you hated me.” The blond turned that confused gaze on him.

“On the contrary, I respect you,” he volunteered openly. “Ever since that first day at the skate park.” Although now it seemed like he had much more than just  _ respect _ for him. And if it got any worse than this, he was going to be driven mad.

“If you respect me so much,” Hayner said suspiciously, “why don't you act like it?”

Seifer shrugged. “You wounded my pride, what can I say?”

“And now?”

“Now it's just out of habit,” he grinned.  _ You're also cute when you're angry. _

“Greeeeeat.” Hayner felt kind of touched that Seifer said he respected him, even if it didn't seem like he did. Maybe he had been a little snarky with him all this time for no reason. Was it possible they might be able to be friends? He kind of liked spending time with him. “You wanna come to the beach again tomorrow?” he asked hesitantly.

Seifer just looked at him.

“We could go swimming and stuff if we come earlier…”

The beach. Seifer groaned inwardly. He was not a fan. There were reasons he usually avoided it. But it was hard to say no to the hopeful look Hayner was giving him. “Ok,” he reluctantly agreed. “Let's just meet here then.”

Hayner smiled.

It was a rather sweet look, probably worth the torment of tomorrow.

* * *

TBC

 


	6. Tease

* * *

_Chapter 6: Tease_

The sky was high and clear on his 5th day of gofering. Hayner grinned, feeling the wind through his thin green shirt. It was one of his favorites, sporting an intricate vertical pattern in white, framing the logo for one of his preferred skater brands. Plus, it didn’t clash with his dark grey swim trunks, which had green stripes running up their pocketed sides.

He’d really lucked out that a day at the beach was going to count as a day of slave labor.

He arrived at the beach at about 10 a.m. and noticed his teammates from the day before were hanging out on the sand just past the volleyball area. He was about to go over to say hi, but decided he should wait for Seifer first. He didn’t want to miss him and invoke his wrath. He went to sit at one of the pavilions.

He almost didn’t see Seifer at first, as he had taken to looking for the skully and trench coat to set him apart. He waved to catch the thug’s attention. He was wearing his skully, but other than that, his clothes looked like they belonged to someone else. He had on a comfortable-looking white cotton shirt and bleached-khaki colored cutoffs. He looked like a regular beach bum, casually taking a drag off his half finished cigarette as he strolled up barefoot. Hayner wondered if there was ever an environment that made Seifer seem out of place, that would stilt his charisma. Or was the gang leader one of those rare people who could blend in anywhere like it was their natural element?

“Hey,” Seifer greeted him.

“Hey,” Hayner replied. He was surprised the miscreant hadn’t parted with his black skully, even for the beach. Now he was really starting to wonder what he was hiding under there.

“Haaaaaaaaaayneeeeeeerr!!” someone shouted.

Hayner located the source of the commotion. His volleyball friends had noticed him and were waving him over. Zane was the shouter.

They had a blanket set out on the sand that was large enough to accommodate all five of them, and then some. Trixie was sunning herself in a low slung blue canvas fold-out chair, a wide-brimmed straw hat on her head. Zane and Bo were digging in a cooler that was weighing down another of the blanket’s corners. Zane tossed one of its contents to Seifer, who caught it, nonplused.

“C’mon, it’s not even noon yet!” Hayner exclaimed when he saw the object had been a bottle of beer. Geez, everybody seemed intent on drinking at the oddest times of day. Zane and Bo clinked their open bottles together, and drank almost a third of their beers in a continued swallow.

“You don’t drink?” Trixie asked him, lowering her sunglasses to peer at him.

“Not really.”

“Then hush up, sweetie,” she said primly.

Bo jumped up suddenly, having finished chugging his beer. “Hayner, Frisbee, come on.” He grabbed at Hayner’s arm and yanked him up, almost falling in the process.

Seifer popped the top off his beer, inclining the bottle to Zane in a gesture of thanks. The brunet blushed slightly, having been caught in the act of staring. Seifer felt the corner of his mouth tug up in a knowing smile, causing the other boy to blush harder. He mumbled something about Frisbee, and jumped up to join the other two boys.

Seifer took a long drink of beer.

“You are something else,” Trixie said, impressed. “Is there _anyone_ who doesn’t just fall helplessly at your feet?”

“One or two,” he deadpanned.

“How are you coming along with Hayner?” she asked, sitting forward.

He looked askance at her, his face unreadable, then took another swallow of beer.

“That bad? It looks so promising, though…” she paused. “You should just put the moves on him. I don’t think waiting will do you any good.” She clapped her hands suddenly in glee. “Oh, you guys would be so HOT together! I can just _see_ it.” She got a starry-eyed look as she evidently was picturing some sort of X-rated scene between the two of them.

Seifer shot her a vaguely annoyed look. “You’re rather nosy, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” She smiled serenely.

He had to laugh at that. She was pretty ballsy, for a girl.

* * *

“Are you just going to sit there all day?” Hayner asked Seifer in a petulant voice. He was sick of Frisbee and Zane was annoying him with all the surreptitious glances he kept throwing at the thug.

“What would you have me do, runt?” he asked with a crooked smile, spreading arms wide from where he lay back, propped up on his elbows. Trixie stifled a snicker.

Hayner cast an arm out to point at the wide blue ocean. “Swim?” he suggested haughtily.

Seifer scowled faintly. He knew this was going to come up eventually. “Fine.”

Hayner watched avidly as Seifer pulled the skully off his head, exposing his hair for the first time.

“Oooo, honey, that is some sexy hair you’ve got there,” Trixie chimed in, earning a dark look from Seifer. His pale blond hair was cut in an edgy style, cropped close on the sides, long bangs falling into his eyes. It looked soft.

“Not very befitting of the thug image though, is it?” Hayner teased, earning himself a glare. Oh, he was never letting Seifer live this one down. No wonder he always wore that damn skully.  

Seifer began to remove his shirt, temporarily wiping all the jokes from Hayner’s mind. Almost in slow motion, the shirt revealed his lean, muscled abs and a sculpted chest, then it was being pulled over Seifer’s head and tossed onto the blanket. Hayner swallowed. His pecs were… impressive. His broad shoulders looked even more so without his trench coat and usual shirt, giving his upper body an appealing V-shape. He _definitely_ worked out.

“See something you like?” Seifer asked.

Hayner snapped out of his reverie. “I-I was just thinking I need to get to the gym more often,” he stammered.

Seifer stepped close to him, brushing Hayner’s hips as he grabbed the edge of his shirt, pulling it up. A faint blush stained the blond’s cheeks as he raised his arms, allowing Seifer to undress him. Seifer tossed the green garment onto the blanket and headed for the water.

“Damn, he’s smooth,” Trixie said to herself.

They stayed in and around the water for a few hours, swimming, and all four of them took turns skin boarding with the boards Bo and Zane produced. Hayner had never tried doing it before. He watched them run at breakneck speeds across the wave-flattened sand, veering at the last minute to fling themselves onto the boards and skim crazily across the shallow water. He decided it looked like fun.

Hayner was surprised when Seifer first grabbed a board. After watching Zane and Bo, he’d decided there was no way to do this without looking a little ridiculous. Bo seemed to have more style than Zane, who was in the habit of making most of his runs half hunched over so that he could shift to the board easier. The mohawked boy ran and leapt with an enthusiasm bordering on insanity. He grinned as his body was whipped around, sometimes burning out spectacularly in a flurry of limbs and water and looking like he’d get himself killed any second.  But, somehow, Seifer was adept at this too, giving Bo a run for his money.

 _How annoying_ , Hayner thought. _Has he done this before, or is he just good at_ **_everything_ ** _?_

Now that it was established that he was the only newbie, he steeled himself against the inevitability of making a fool of himself.

* * *

“Hayner, would you mind putting up our umbrella?”  The thin red-haired girl asked him, later. They had all decided to take a break from the sun and grab a bite to eat. He got it pushed deep enough into the sand that a gust of wind wouldn’t knock it over on top of them, and hit the release button. It opened with a satisfying _foowomp!_ It was a bit cramped trying to fit everyone under the shade, but with creative arranging and overlapping limbs, it worked.

Bo dug into their cooler, producing a salad for Trixie, a few granola bars, apples, and packets of crackers.

“Got any water?” Hayner tried peering into the cooler, but he was too far to see.

“Hang on,” the tip of Bo’s tongue poked out in concentration as his he rummaged through the ice, arm disappearing into the cooler up to the elbow. “Aarrrrgh,” he grimaced as the cold began numbing his fingers. He eventually produced three bottles, apologizing that there weren’t enough for them all. “When we packed, we thought it’d be just the three of us,” he explained. “Guess we’ll just have to share.” He tossed one to Trixie, and one to Hayner. “Me and Zane’ll share, we’re used to it. You guys cool?”

“Yeah,” Hayner said, uncapping the bottle and pouring some water into his mouth. He and Roxas and the gang often shared like this. Sometimes you didn’t want or need a whole drink, so it was easier to just share. They’d perfected the technique so they could even pour without touching their mouths to the can or bottle. Totally hygienic. He loved his friends, but he wasn’t keen on swapping spit with them. He wiped at the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and passed the bottle to Seifer.

“Do you guys have any sunscreen stashed in there, by any chance?” Hayner asked. “I think I’m gonna start to burn soon and I forgot to bring some.”

Bo looked put-upon. “So unprepared,” he lamented dramatically, shaking his head. He pulled a white plastic bottle out of one of their bags, glancing up at Hayner as he brushed the purple strands of his disheveled mohawk out of his eyes. The sun was glinting off of the artificial color, pulling out deep electric blues and violets. It really was cool hair, maybe even more so the way it was now, lying down all flat and messy.

Bo gave Hayner a precursory glance. “Okay, you’re dry already. Come ‘ere, I’ll do your back.”   

Hayner crawled over Trixie, and Zane’s feet, to the other side of Bo. He plopped down and squeezed some lotion into his hand for his front, so he could do it while Bo did his back. He set to work, applying it to his chest, stomach, and arms as Bo’s hands smoothed the warm liquid across his back.

He closed his eyes as Bo’s firm hands rubbed the lotion in,\ and skated across his skin. It was kinda nice, almost like a massage.

It was really pleasant out today. The sun wasn’t brutally hot and a gentle breeze made it even less so. Lazy white clouds cast temporary shade across the sparkling sand, and the world seemed comprised of white, blue, and gold. He could still see it all on the back of his eyelids. He could hear the lapping, rolling waves as they ebbed and surged gently at the shore, and the lonely cries of seagulls as they milled about on the sand and circled overhead.

Just then, he felt Bo’s fingers brush lower, just underneath the waistband of his swim trunks. _Must’ve been on accident,_ he thought.

A few minutes went by, and suddenly he wasn’t so sure. The peacefulness of the moment started to fade. He was pretty certain that it wouldn’t take this long to put on sunscreen, no matter how thorough you were, and Bo’s hands were trailing over his skin and up his sides in a somewhat suggestive manner.

“Are you sure you’re not attached?” Bo asked softly, speaking low so that only Hayner could hear him. A wandering hand was slipping much further beneath his shorts, caressing the skin there. His face and actions were hidden from the others from where he sat behind the blond.

Hayner’s eyes jumped open, his heartbeat thudding in his throat. He was totally being hit on!

His startled gaze landed arbitrarily on Seifer, who was directly across from him. The thug was watching them through the tops of his eyes, emanating a dangerous aura, the light blond hair doing little to cut the effect. It reminded him of the look he’d had in the street fight.

“Y-Yeah, um thanks for the help, Bo.” He scampered up, missing the defiant look Bo gave Seifer when the gang leader directed that gaze at him. His nerves were jangling unpleasantly, his movements feeling jerky and wrong. He really wanted to just go back out into the water, and escape the awkwardness he now felt, but he didn’t want to make a scene and call attention to what had just transpired. He felt a little violated and also a little disturbed that the come-on wasn’t freaking him out as much as he thought it should. He returned to his original spot, grabbing an apple and biting into it loudly, trying to distract himself.

Zane, not to be outdone, offered to apply sunscreen for Seifer.

Seifer almost declined, more than a little irritated with these people as it was. He was damn certain Bo was trying to move in on Hayner and it infuriated him. But there was nothing he could really do about it. He had no real claim on the blond yet. And the girl annoyed him, offering unwanted ‘advice’ and encouragement. Doesn’t anyone mind their own damn business anymore?

“Sure,” he replied casually to the brunet, wiping the annoyance from his face and forcing a slight smirk. The boy looked a bit flustered, and he quickly moved behind him to try and hide it. He felt the slight tremor in Zane’s hands, making it even more obvious than before that he had developed a substantial crush on him.

Seifer glanced surreptitiously at Hayner. He was still acting skittish, and had devoured the apple at an amazing pace, but he had looked up at the exchange between him and Zane. The smirk had been for _his_ benefit. He wanted Hayner’s eyes on him, observing him as he flirted meaninglessly with the blushing boy behind him. He wanted to know if Hayner had any jealousy at all seeing someone else’s hands on him.

He leaned back into Zane’s hands, tipping his head back, as if enjoying the attention, watching Hayner from beneath lowered lids. The boy looked like a deer caught in the headlights, taking in the scene. His mouth was hanging slightly agape as he noticed Zane’s increased nervousness and reddening cheeks. Seifer flexed his shoulders languidly, as if stretching, pulling those brown eyes back to him. They lingered over his body, before rising hesitantly to his face. Seifer smiled sexily, throwing some comment or other over his shoulder at Zane flirtatiously. He ignored the stuttered reply, having no real interest in the response, watching Hayner’s expression carefully. He looked transfixed, eyes holding a mixture of uncertainty and something that came close to anticipation.

“Thanks,” he said to Zane as he stood a couple minutes later, not knowing if the boy had finished yet and not caring. Fuck the sunscreen, he was done with this.

“Come on, shrimp, you owe me a race,” he said as he started towards the water. Hayner glanced at the others, looking a little relieved when their eyes met again. Zane was staring after Seifer all mooney-eyed, Bo was looking especially sour, and Trixie had her nose in a book but was smirking as she glanced over the top.

They stayed for a few more hours, then said their goodbyes, Seifer cramming the skully back over his hair gratefully when they got dressed. Hayner was right about the image thing. People took him a lot less seriously when they could see his light hair. He’d taken to covering it up years ago, with great results.

Hayner found himself wondering if Seifer had walked all the way here without shoes. It hadn’t seemed weird when the thug had arrived, it merely lent a carefree vagabond air to the older boy. But as they neared the exit, approaching the hot concrete of the street, he could think of nothing else.

“You hungry?” he asked Hayner, pausing by a dilapidated bike rack to retrieve the black sandals he’d stashed there earlier. He really hated the damn things. They were foam-soled and had the toe thong, which he grew to hate in the few minutes he’d worn them on the walk to the beach. He didn’t appreciate having his feet feel like they were being violated with every step he took. He rarely wore anything but his boots, but he’d needed something to wear that he wouldn’t mind getting lost or stolen. He was mildly disappointed they were still there.

“Yeah, that apple didn’t hold me off too long.” _Aha! That’s how you did it. I’m surprised no one took them…_ “How about splitting pizza at the Mexican place?” Hayner suggested.

“Sounds good. I could really go for a margarita.” He sighed. Those people really wore him out. By the end, he’d wanted to beat each of them, personally, just for different reasons.

* * *

“Well, I guess I’ll be heading home now,” Hayner said as they left Maria’s. It had taken a while for them to be served, a while for them to eat, and a while for Seifer to hit bottom on the margaritas. He was exhausted and couldn’t wait to get home and take a shower. Sand was… everywhere.

“Home?” Seifer laughed. “You don’t get to go home.”

Hayner put his hands on his hips in a standoffish display. “What do you mean?”

“You’ll be staying at my place.” Seifer cut off his protests with a sharp look, clapping a hand to the back of the boy’s neck and exerting a mild pressure. “You’ve gotten quite the break from being a proper lackey.” He leaned in almost menacingly, accentuating his words with a light shake, making Hayner shrink back guiltily. “Now it’s time to make it up.”

“Can I stop by my house first?” Hayner asked delicately, as Seifer began walking again.

“No,” he replied shortly.

“Eh? But I need things!” Hayner glared at his back. Screw delicacy. “I need clothes, and a shower, and what am I supposed to use for a toothbrush?” he lamented.

“You can borrow stuff, shrimp,” he growled, “And I’ll _give_ you a toothbrush. I have spares.”

Hayner trudged along behind him. What was it with Seifer? One minute he was being almost nice, and the next, he reverted back into thuggish behavior, all orders and scary looks. Which side was real? Or were both of them just pieces of his personality?

He sighed heavily and wondered which one he would be dealing with for the remainder of the evening.

* * *

“How am I supposed to borrow _your_ clothes?” Hayner complained. “They’re not gonna fit.” They were arguing the clothing issue now, as Hayner needed something to put on after his shower.

“You’re not that much smaller, it should be fine.”

This from the guy that called him “runt” and “shrimp” excessively. Hayner crossed his arms over his chest as Seifer rifled through a drawer.

“Here, these are older, they ought to fit you.” He threw a pair of cargo-style shorts at him and continued to search for a shirt.

“Just don’t give me any of those midriff tops you like so much,” Hayner said snarkily, trying to goad the other boy. “They aren’t my _thing_.”  

Seifer abandoned the search and cuffed him in the head.

“Ow!” Hayner whined, even though it was a light _thwap_ to the head.

“If you’re going to be like that,” Seifer rounded on him with a wicked grin, grabbing the shorts back, “you could just not wear anything at all.”

Hayner felt his face burn at the implication, and at the weird feeling in his stomach. He grabbed at the shorts, having to pull them from Seifer’s grasp as the thug laughed at him. He gathered the towel and washcloth he’d been given, ignoring the shirt Seifer tossed him; it landed on his head while he stormed towards the bathroom. _Damn punk._

* * *

Seifer was sprawled in his desk chair at the computer, listening to the water run as he waited for his turn in the shower. He had a somewhat small place, just a simple one bedroom apartment, so he only had one bathroom. It usually wasn’t a problem. He didn’t often have anyone over.

He wasn’t entirely sure what his intentions were, forcing Hayner to stay over like this. But, it seemed like they had only just left the wretchedness of the beach, and associated people, when Hayner had mentioned going home.

The end of the week was fast approaching and he’d barely gotten to know him yet. At this rate, they’d be right back where they started - back to the bickering, the rivalry, and the attitude, and that was only **_if_ ** he saw the boy. He might just decide to disappear like he’d been doing before their little competition.

Chances like this rarely cropped up, so he had to make the best of it with what time they had left. If that required forced sleepovers the next few nights, so be it. He didn’t think Hayner would call his bluff. He could be quite intimidating, after all.

The bathroom door opened with the stiff sound of wood scraping on wood. It was shoddy craftsmanship, the door being mounted so high that it caught on the frame when it closed and opened. It was annoying, but Seifer hadn’t inconvenienced himself to have it fixed. He didn’t bother shutting it when he was alone anyway. He turned at the sound.

Billows of steam escaped into the bedroom as Hayner emerged from the shower, wet, clean and shirtless. Seifer found himself staring, eyes panning, rapidly taking in every detail. The blond had a towel on his head, which he was rubbing around with both hands to dry his hair. His abs were tensed, chest flexing with the rapid movements. The shorts, looser than expected, were being drug down by their own weight, exposing quite a bit more than they should. God help him.

Seifer crooked a finger at him, beckoning him closer. Hayner came over, pulling the towel off his head, planning to give it to him so he could do something with it. He forewent the shirt, unable to completely back down from Seifer’s earlier challenge.

Seifer reached out a hand to touch his ring where it hung forgotten against the blond boy’s chest. “It looks good on you,” he said quietly, his fingertips grazing the skin. Drops of collected water beaded on the circlet, then lost their hold, tracing a thin path tantalizingly down his taut stomach. He wanted to run his hands up over that tawny skin so badly he could almost taste it.

Seifer raised hooded eyes to meet Hayner’s.

Hayner was holding his breath. His skin tingled where Seifer had touched, and he had butterflies in his stomach. Why was he reacting like this? He found himself staring into the endless depths of his eyes, feeling like he was teetering on the edge of something huge and dark.

Seifer studied the blond’s face. Hayner had a faint blush staining his cheeks and uncertainty was swimming dizzily in his brown eyes. That had promise. “I’m surprised you hadn’t lost it already,” he teased, purposely breaking the tension.

“I told you I’d hang on to it,” Hayner said in annoyance, coming back to himself. “Why would I go and lose it a few days later?” He brushed past Seifer, tossing the wet towel into his lap as he left the room.

* * *

Seifer pulled a pair of soft cotton drawstring pants over his slightly damp skin, lost in thought. In some ways, this situation was just spiraling out of control. He’d devised the penalty for their little bet, wanting to put Hayner in his place and maybe leveling the rocky ground between them. He’d sensed a kinship in the other boy that intrigued him and he didn’t want to just leave things as they were, bypassing any possibility of friendship in exchange for this uncertain rivalry.

He’d never expected to feel such a strong pull towards Hayner. He hadn’t even realized it at first, his compulsion to be close to him, but now even his own friends were wondering. He was torn between leaving things as they were, allowing the tenuous acquaintanceship to grow, and pushing the matter further. Much further. Possibly wrecking everything. He clenched his fists.

“Don’t you have any normal games?” Hayner asked him when he finally came out into the living room.

Seifer rested a hand on his hip and ran the other through his damp hair, letting out a sigh. “Normal, like…?”

“Like anything! All you have are thug games.”

“Do I look like an RPG type of person to you?” Seifer said, both exasperated and amused. “What did you expect?”

“Grand Theft Auto, Crazy Taxi, Twisted Metal,” Hayner listed off some of the titles. “How is it you don’t have even one fighting game?”

“I don’t see the point. I deal with stuff like that enough,” Seifer replied abruptly. “I don’t see it as a way to relax.” He noticed an odd expression cross Hayner’s face, then. His eyes widened, body unnaturally still as he stared blankly down at the games. Was it surprise? Fear? Apprehension? Guilt?  It was so complex, it was hard to tell. What had sparked that off?

He frowned, continuing into the room so he could sit down on the couch. “If you don’t like the games, just throw a movie or something on.” A muscle in Hayner’s back twitched, his shoulders hunching in more tightly, like he was flinching. **Was** it fear?

 _Dammit,_ Hayner cursed silently. Why did he always have to remember that stupid street fight? It set him on edge every time. Why did he think that any moment he may turn around to find that maniacal _look_ on the gang leader’s face? He had never seen Seifer get out of control like that in his presence before, why would he start now? But then again, he’d never expected it from his father, either.

Hayner glanced back at him warily. Seifer was sprawled on the couch, watching him with a guarded expression on his aristocratic features. There was not the slightest indication of violence in his demeanor.

Hayner tried to collect himself, turning his attention to the DVD spines on the shelf above the gaming system. He grabbed one at random and threw the disc into the DVD player, jamming a few buttons. The title screen soon proclaimed it to be Boondock Saints.

Seifer watched the strange display, deciding the best way to dispel his companion’s darkening mood was the old tried and true: Irritation.

When Hayner started solemnly towards the couch, Seifer swung his arms up to rest on the back, taking up a good deal of space, pretending not to notice the glare he got almost immediately.

“Where am I supposed to sit then?” Hayner said with annoyance. The couch was a 3-seater, but with Seifer sitting near the middle, it seemed unreasonably small.

“Anywhere you want,” Seifer said reasonably, trying, and surely failing, for a blankly innocent look. Hayner could be delightfully predictable at times. “Why?” He was having difficulty not giving himself away, he could feel the corner of his mouth quirking up. Hayner’s reactions were priceless.

“Do you _always_ sit like that?” He asked pointedly.

Seifer smiled.

Hayner renewed his frown. It was an infuriatingly languid and devilish smile, which suggested he was trying to annoy him on purpose, and was enjoying every second.   _Damn him._

“You could always sit on the floor, runt,” the thug said casually, eyes shining with hidden mirth, “I don’t mind.”

Hayner rolled his eyes. “You’re such an egotistical pain in the ass,” he grumped, flopping down extra hard onto the couch. He realized belatedly that he had plopped down a little too close to the miscreant, but it was a little late for him to reconsider, having made a show of it in the first place. Besides, he could see the TV better from here than on the end of the couch. He yawned and leaned back into the cushions, not able to completely forget about the presence of Seifer’s arm so close behind him.

* * *

Hayner opened his eyes sleepily, wondering what had woken him up. The room looked unfamiliar. Blank walls glowed in the dark with tiny fluctuations of light given off by the TV, upon which a massive gunfight was taking place. The volume was turned low, so the mayhem was at a dull roar. Boondock Saints was still in full swing. It was a shame he’d fallen asleep; it was actually really good.

He remembered mussily that he was at Seifer’s just as he noticed that there was something heavy draped over his shoulders. This ‘something’ was warm, and had a hand attached to it.

He blinked slowly, realizing he had fallen asleep on the older boy. He was still mostly sitting up, but he’d listed to the side, Seifer being the only thing keeping him from falling all the way over. Why was the thug’s arm around him anyway? Did it mean anything? Hayner glanced up at him.

Seifer looked like he was out cold. His head had fallen back, pillowed on the back of the couch. His face was smooth and deeply shadowed in the dim flickering light, features thrown in sharp relief. It made his skin blue pale, eyelids and cheekbones accented darkly, and his hair seemed shrouded in gloom. The boy’s other limb was lying limply at his side. His arms must have slipped from their previous position as he fell asleep.

Hayner turned his attention to pushing himself up off the couch and out from under Seifer’s arm, which was effectively immobilizing him. He soon found it too difficult with the angle.

Hayner sighed. He felt too lethargic to try moving again and too drowsy to care. He mentally shrugged and lost himself to sleep once more.

Seifer smiled. He was awake after all.

* * *

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  Author’s Note: Q&A
> 
> These are reviews from Media Miner, but they may be relevant questions in general…
> 
> 1\. MaskOfMe: Ravishing will happen in the very next chapter! O.O  
> last time you wrote, err, "intimacies" with axel and roxas, it wasn't that descriptive”
> 
> A/N: I’m assuming that you mean it wasn’t very graphic… well, it was supposed to be more emotional in their case. S/H will be a little less so. But, I will never be full-out GRAPHIC with my depictions of boy!sex.  (bodily fluids will never arc into the air, nobody will think in terms of c*ck, d*ck, etc. and I will avoid using things like ‘he grunted in pleasure’  or ‘oh yeah, do me harder, bitch.) Okay, I’m exaggerating, but I have seen fics like that. And though it makes me laugh a little, it doesn’t fit with my fic, so I refrain. I know how I write it seems a little vague at times, but I suppose that is just how it is.
> 
> Give S/H a chance though, and see if you don’t like it a bit better ;)
> 
> ((*2017 ETA* LMAO back when I was so shy to write/post real XXX Hahahaahaaaa!!))
> 
>  
> 
> 2\. In response to Loli, and anyone else who shared this question:  
> “Why does Roxas forget Axel like, all the time??”
> 
> A/N: He doesn’t keep forgetting Axel. In fact, he never * remembered * him in the first place. Notice: he never once says, or even thinks Axel’s name. 
> 
> A part of him seems to remember him though… his subconscious. This is why he surprised himself by telling Axel “I missed you.” Axel is driven nuts because he knows Roxas can’t remember him, yet Roxas acts so familiar with him despite this. This is why he wonders if Roxas will eventually get his memory back, fully. 
> 
> The reason Roxas can’t remember… Well, Axel already explained this in his reaction.. 
> 
> “Axel's composure was threatening to crack. Roxas' memory about anything related to Organization 13 faded as soon as it was formed. It wasn't his fault; it was just how the Org. protected itself.” 
> 
> Basically, anyone who isn’t a part of Organization 13 will forget anything or anyone that has to do with it. Once Roxas left, he was giving up his memories of everything involving the Org. Axel included. But, this would happen to anyone who was non-Org. So if, say, Hayner was confronted by Axel or any of the other Org members… he would start forgetting all about it the moment they left.
> 
> With things as they are, Roxas will never really remember Axel, or any interactions between them. However, when they are close, he begins to act like he used to around Axel when they were both in the Organization. He obviously feels strongly about Axel, and even though he isn’t regaining his memory, he can feel a deep bond with him. (He isn’t exactly the type to hop in bed with someone he thinks he’s just met for the first time.) Apparently, the Org’s memory wipes are not all encompassing. 
> 
> This is going to cause Roxas problems though. Subconsciously, he knows Axel, and even loves him. But, this knowledge is elusive. Like trying to remember a dream upon waking, feeling like the answer is on the tip of your tongue. Leaving Axel, and losing the memory of him is what first causes his insomnia (which Roxas alluded to); It is what has been bothering him since the beginning of the fic when Hayner was trying to figure out what was wrong with him.  (In psychology, disturbances of sleep and concentration are often signs of depression. Even if the one suffering it, does not know, or does not think of themselves as being depressed. Suppressed memories can also wreak havoc on one’s ability to function, although in this case, a 3rd party is doing the suppressing.)
> 
> I hope this clears things up a bit.
> 
> As always, thank you for reading (and thank you doubly for REVIEWS!!!!)
> 
> ~Z


	7. Web of Desire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> XXX!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Music -** a lot of Econoline Crush's album "The Devil You Know" reminds me of Seifer  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZpL64apAgA&list=PL01XjHYXPLSOyZMgh7V2Rk2MXgGogG43F
> 
> but especially:  
> "Home" seif/hay song for this chapter  
> "The Devil You Know"  
> "Razorblades and Bandaids"

* * *

_Chapter  7: Web of Desire_  

_ Ah. Morning.  _ Seifer could already feel the light trying to burn his eyes. Why hadn’t he gotten around to putting something up on the windows to block it out? He raised a hand to his eyes, to shield them, but found his arm wouldn’t move.  _ Odd _ . He cracked open an eye and found himself lying on the couch, inexplicably intertwined with his guest. 

He blinked, looking down at the other boy. Hayner’s head was resting on his chest, a hand tucked close to his face. Seifer could feel his breath on his skin, and the heat of their naked torsos where they touched. The blond was wedged between Seifer and the back of the couch, every inch of his body pressing against him. He remembered casually draping his arm about Hayner’s shoulders once the other boy had fallen asleep, but not how they had gotten like  **this** . One of Hayner’s legs was thrown over his, canting their hips closely together. His mind helpfully supplied a stream of images of other reasons for them to be in such close quarters. Not that he would normally mind, but right now, it was torturous.  

Seifer gazed at him, watching him sleep. He was so serene like that; it was a shame he’d have to disturb him. 

He nonchalantly shook Hayner awake, gently, so he could disentangle himself. The blond was a complete deadweight. 

Seifer shifted, pulling himself out from under the other boy. Hayner’s eyes creaked open as he slid off bonelessly, mumbling, and ending with his face in the couch and an arm hanging over the edge. 

* * *

Hayner awoke to a sizzling sound and something that smelled like food. His stomach rumbled angrily as he drug himself into a sitting position. There was a light on in the only other room of the apartment, which must be the kitchen. He felt ravenous.

Hayner shuffled across the carpet and onto the cold tile of the kitchen. His movements were sluggish, and his head felt fuzzy, but he located the source of the noise without too much difficulty. There was a skillet on the stovetop. Actually, there were a few. Seifer was lounging in front of the stove, spatula held loosely in his hand. 

Seifer looked up. The blond looked cute all rumpled and sleepy. He smiled. “I made extra. Want some?”

Hayner crept over to the stove, peering at the skillet and regarding its contents as if they were close to becoming one of the great Mysteries of the world. His stomach growled. He nodded sleepily. “You can cook?” 

“Well, yeah. I live alone.” He gestured to indicate the usually empty apartment. “Had to learn.”    

“Me too… mostly. But I just get things I can put in the microwave, or I eat out.” He yawned widely, partially covering his mouth with his hand.

Seifer chuckled. “It’s amazing you can stay in shape like that.”

“Roxas is the same way.”  

“Must be something in the water,” he mused. 

Hayner leaned against the counter, watching the sure movements of Seifer’s hands as he flipped the eggs and other items that were on the stove. “Hey, um…” Hayner frowned. His brain was not up to functioning speed yet. He needed something caffeinated. He tried again, “You know, I kinda fell asleep during the movie last night…” he trailed off. He was going to ask if they could finish it later, but suddenly found himself wondering if Seifer realized he’d fallen asleep  **on** him last night. It seemed such a  _ weird _ thing to have happened.   

“So I noticed,” the older boy replied casually. “I had to pry you off of me, so I could get up this morning.”

Hayner flushed with embarrassment, now faintly recalling this morning. Hadn’t Seifer had to shake him awake so he could get up? Somehow, in the night, he’d ended up _ laying _ on him! And he hadn’t had the presence of mind to even apologize for it, he’d just gone right back to sleep. “Oh, well, sorry about that,” he mumbled hurriedly. Best to just move on to the reason he brought that up in the first place. “But I really liked what I saw of the movie… I was wondering if maybe we could watch the rest later?”

“Don’t you want to just borrow it then?”

“I don’t know when I’d get it back to you… Besides, the noise would probably bother my grandma. All her other senses are failing her, but her hearing is still sharp.”

Seifer tried to keep his expression from changing as the meaning behind the words hit him. So, he was right. After this, it was all over. Maybe things wouldn’t go back to exactly how they were before, but it would be pretty close. “It’s cool, I don’t mind watching it again. I think I fell asleep before you anyway.” 

Hayner smiled. “I’d never heard of it before… Where did you come across it?”

“I think Xavier showed it to me a few years ago.” Yeah, that was one way of putting it. Xavier was such a sneaky little bastard, you almost had to admire him for it. “Oh, eggs are done. Grab me some plates out of that cabinet, over there,” he pointed.

Hayner grabbed the topmost two of the stack. They were surprisingly heavy, but a pleasing blue color. “What are these made out of? They’re heavy.”

“They’re stoneware. It’s a type of clay. The folks used to go around buying stuff like that and somehow I ended up with it.” 

“I like it,” Hayner said, handing Seifer one plate and flipping the other one over. He’d never really seen something like it, so he took a closer look. There were what looked like grains of sand peeking out through the coloring of the glaze, though the surface was smooth. It was more concentrated in the beige-grey of the uncolored base of the plate. The rough texture and coloring seemed to be a part of the clay. How weird.  

Seifer popped the plate out of his hands and started piling it with eggs, sausage links, and hash browns. “Grab the OJ out of the fridge, wouldya?”

“Sure.” Hayner pulled on the handle and surveyed the foreign interior of a refrigerator stocked with  _ real _ food. Amazing. He wrestled the orange juice jug out from behind a gallon of milk and swung the door closed. 

Seifer indicated another cabinet before he had the chance to ask about glasses, while being preoccupied with retrieving bread from the toaster. Hayner opened the door, expecting more ceramics or glass, but instead there were an assortment of tall plastic cups. Huh.

He set the jug on the counter, pouring the juice into two of the brightly colored cups. Glancing over his shoulder, he saw Seifer turning all the dials for the stove top to off. Their plates were already sitting on the small wooden table. Damn, it looked good. Everything was so hot, it was still steaming. He couldn’t remember that last time he’d eaten food like this, made by someone he actually knew. It was touching. It reminded him of what home used to feel like before he’d had to start living with Nanna.

“You coming?” Seifer asked. He was already sitting, elbows on the table, a fork poised halfway to his mouth.

“Heh. Sorry. I think I was dozing off there.” He threw the jug of OJ back into the fridge and pulled up his chair.

“Are you one of those people that need caffeine in the morning just to function?” Seifer asked as he started to eat. 

“It helps.” He looked up, brown eyes hopeful. “You have anything here?”

Seifer shook his head, and swallowed. “We could get something out, though. I just don’t drink coffee very often.”

“Hmmm.” He stacked some egg precariously on a piece of toast. “You mind if we go to Rosalie’s? That’s where I usually go when I can’t stand the instant stuff anymore.” He took a large bite, somehow keeping the rest of the eggs from toppling off. 

“It’s fine with me.” 

Hayner bit off another piece of his modified egg sandwich. Oh, it was good! He quickly chewed through that bite and swallowed, grabbing a sausage link. This was _ better _ than Rosalie’s food. Who knew thugs could cook? 

“Thanks for making me food too, Seifer, it’s reeeeeally good!” Now the potatoes were under attack. Ah! Everything was so delicious!

“No problem.” It must be good, Seifer thought, with the way he was putting it away. Funny, but this might just be the first time he’d ever made anything for anyone. It made him kind of happy to see Hayner demolishing the food with such enthusiasm.

* * *

They had just left Rosalie’s when Seifer’s cell phone rang. He fished it out of his pocket. It was metallic red. extremely thin, and its ‘ring’ was more of a clicking or pulsing tone than the typical melodies people used. He flipped it open and held it up to his ear. “Yeah?” he answered.

Seifer listened for a few minutes, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. He had the skully on again. It made him look less like a put-upon friend, and more like a seasoned mafia man who was regretfully about to kill an inept someone, out of compassion.  “I know. Yeah.” 

Hayner could faintly hear the tinny voice on the other end, periodically, but he couldn’t make out what it was saying.

“Well, can’t you take care of it?” he said impatiently.

Hayner wondered who it was and what they were talking about. Seifer was starting to pace like some kind of caged jungle cat. He could almost imagine a tail lashing back and forth angrily.

The gang leader sighed explosively. “Are you  _ sure _ it can’t wait?” Seifer was definitely sounding irritated now.  There was more tinny gibbering from the other end of the line. “Fine. Fine. I’ll be there. Just give me a few minutes.” He snapped the phone shut and thrust it back into his pocket.

“Problems?” Hayner asked.

“You think they could handle a simple-” he started with frustration, before waving it away. “Nevermind that.” He thought for a moment. “Listen, I have to take care of something. Can you do me a favor?”

“Uh- okay.” He was still a gofer for the rest of the day, wasn’t he? Still, it was nice of him to ask instead of demand. 

Seifer pulled out his keys, and started working one off of the ring. “I need you to buy some masking tape or something that’ll hold up tin foil. That hardware store on 5 th would have it. Here.” He tossed the key to Hayner. “That’s the key for my place. I don’t know how long I’ll be.”

Hayner quirked a brow. “What are you gonna do with tape and tin foil?”

“Not me,” he smiled. “This is your official gofer duty of the day.  Put that stuff up on the windows and block out the damn sun.”  

“Oh.” That made sense. The windows did face east and the morning sun had been  _ unholy hell _ on his tired eyes. “You have enough foil?”

“I think so. It’d be in the kitchen.” He fished out some money. “This ought to cover it.”

Hayner took the cash. He wasn’t sure, but he thought he’d heard Seifer mutter something under his breath as he left that sounded like ‘ _ goddamn punks’.  _

He shrugged and headed over to 5 th Street. There was a surprising lack of people on the cobblestone street at this hour. Hordes of people usually swarmed this older district at all hours. But, it was nice to be able to walk without being jostled. The iron streetlights lined the sides of the road like rail-thin sentinels maintaining the peace, and without all the normal commotion, he could actually hear the wind rustling through the trees. 

His journey was a lot shorter than he’d anticipated. He soon found himself at the entrance to Handy Dandy Hardware. _ Who picked these names? _ he wondered as he pushed the door open.

“Hayner!” someone greeted as the bells on the door rang.

He looked up, surprised. “Oh, hey, Zane” He smiled and nodded to the boy at the counter. “I didn’t know you worked here.”

“Gotta feed my drug habit, you know,” he joked. “What are you looking for?”

“Just tape. Something I can use to put some tinfoil up on my windows.”

“Head toward the back, right down that aisle,” he pointed vaguely.

“Thanks.” Hayner wondered why sales people always gave such ambiguous directions. Maybe it made their jobs more entertaining when they could watch people graciously thank them for their help then wander helplessly, still very lost but afraid to ask for more assistance. Huh. 

So, it looked like he had been pointed down  **this** aisle, but all he saw was drill bits, power tools, nails and stuff.  _ Dammit, Zane. _

“Need help?”

“Yeah, I-” Hayner was saying as he turned. Jade green eyes regarded him seriously. Bo worked here too?? He had the store’s apron on over his jeans and shirt. A black bandanna hid his wildly purple hair. 

Hayner felt a momentary brush of unease. He could still hear that whispered voice in his ear ‘ _ Are you sure you’re not taken? _ ’ 

“I-I’m looking for tape,” he finished, discomfited. How did you deal with friends that hit on you? It was awkward and he didn’t know if it was going to happen again.

“Hi, to you too,” Bo sounded chagrined. “Follow me, you’re in the wrong place.” 

He lead Hayner past paint buckets and brushes and somehow to the adhesive stuff area.

Bo asked him questions about what he needed it for and very professionally determined which product he needed.

“Listen, Hayner,” Bo said as he handed him the tape. “I’m sorry about the other day. I’d had too much to drink.” He looked sort of embarrassed. “I don’t usually do stuff like that. Especially to friends.”

“It’s ok, I guess.”  _ As long as you don’t do something like that again.  _

“I was an ass. I’m really, really sorry.” Bo seemed to sense the reluctance with which his first apology was received. “I want to stay friends, but I understand if you don’t want to…” he trailed off hesitantly.

Oh damn. Now he was starting to feel bad. He really liked the crazy mohawked boy, he was fun. And if he was really just too drunk to think things through back then, how could he hold that against him? “Nah, it’s not that big a deal,” he brushed it off like he really believed that.

“Thanks, man,” Bo smiled his haphazard grin, green eyes lighting up. “Hey, look- I’ll make it up to you, alright?” 

Hayner laughed. “Whatever.”

They ambled up to the register. Zane smiled as they approached. “You free to hang out later, Hayner?” the brunet asked.

“What time?”

“Maybe 5:30 p.m. or so tonight?”

“Hmmm. I’m not sure. I might be tied up all day.”

“Doing what, exactly?” Bo inquired.

Hayner sighed. “It’s complicated.”

“Are you seeing Seifer today?” Zane wheedled. Was the blond busy _ because _ he was seeing Seifer?

“Is that any of your business?” Hayner asked pointedly. God this was digressing into 20 questions or something.

“Well, if you do see him, can you extend the invite?” the brunet continued amicably, as he rang up the transaction.

“Hey, if you can’t today, maybe some other time?” Bo suggested.

“Yeah, that’d be fine.”

“Can I get your number then?” The bandanna wearing boy asked casually, handing Hayner a pen.  

“Ah, sure.” He scribbled it on the back of the receipt and handed it to the green-eyed boy. “I don’t have a cell, so this is my house line,” he explained. He picked his bag up off the counter. “I gotta go. See you round.”

“See you, Hayner.” Bo said to his back as the bells signaled his exit.

Bo  tucked the paper into his pocket and turned to Zane. “Good save, but that was such an obvious dig for information.”

Zane shrugged. “What about you? I know you wondered if they’d be together today, too.” He pinned Bo with a calculating look. “How’d you get him to talk to you again after that sunscreen thing, anyway?” 

“I told him I was too drunk to know what I was doing. Then I apologized profusely.”

“Ha! That’s a good one! You’re never too drunk to know what you’re doing! Besides, you’d only had 2 beers by then.”

“Well,  _ he _ didn’t know that. And what was I supposed to say?” Bo gestured with agitation and continued, mocking himself in a deep voice, “Hi again. Sorry I hit on you before, but I really like you. Wanna hook up?” 

“Okay, maybe not.” Zane agreed. “Direct doesn’t seem to be the right approach for him anyway.” He smirked. “I’m surprised Seifer didn’t kick your ass for that. He looked like he wanted to.”

“Yeah, well, there were witnesses. And you only knew what I did since I told you. Seifer seemed to just know by telepathy or something.”  

“You’re in dangerous territory with that one, my friend,” the brunet warned him, his hazel eyes serious. 

“I know.” He glared. “I can tell there’s something going on between them, but nothing has happened yet. But, I can’t let it go if there is still a chance. I just… really do like Hayner.”

“I admit that I’m hoping you’ll find away to win him over. Maybe then Seifer would be open to taking up with someone else. Not that I think that’s very likely.” Zane ran a hand through his wavy brown hair, “God. I know Seifer’s just messing around with me, but I can’t help wondering what it would be like with him.”

“And you usually go for the cute, harmless types. This has to be a first,” Bo teased.  

“Second,” he corrected. “You’re not cute  **or** harmless, and I went for  _ you _ before.”   

“Then what type am I?” he leaned over the counter expectantly.

Zane crossed his arms, unwilling to stoke his friend’s ego. Bo knew he was good-looking. Cute didn’t describe him at all though, his face was too angular and his eyes weren’t innocent in the least. “You’re crazy and indecent. You’re the type that gives me psychological pain.”

“How flattering,” he grinned. “Is that what came between us?”

“Among other things.” He rolled his eyes. “Friendship with you is about all I can handle.”

“Hmn. I’m glad for that though,” he said thoughtfully. “You’re one of the only people that didn’t abandon me just cuz we weren’t sleeping together anymore.”

“I still care about you, jackass.  I just can’t stay sane with you.” He punched Bo in the shoulder, a half smile on his face. “You need to torment someone who’s a little more helpless. Though I’m not sure Hayner falls in that category.”

“Probably not. I always seem to pick what isn’t best for me.” 

* * *

Hayner decided to stop by his house before going back to Seifer’s to do the windows. He let himself in and headed up to his room.

“Hayner~?”

Hayner stopped, his hand on the railing. “Yes?”

“Would you come here for a minute?” his grandmother called out frailly.

He went back down the stairs, and through the hall that went past the kitchen. His Grandmother’s room was the master suite just beyond that. He poked his head around the door. “Did you need something, Nanna?” She was propped up in her reading chair, staring out the window. Her white hair was gathered in a loose plait down her back. A large print book was lying open, forgotten, on her lap.

She looked up, and beckoned him closer. “I haven’t seen you in awhile, baby. Let me look at you,” she reached for his hand.  “Where have you been?”

“Ah, hanging out with Roxas and stuff, mostly.” It was hard to lie to those kindly brown eyes. But, he couldn’t tell her that he was in temporary slavery to a gangster, even if he said it was a  _ nice _ gangster. She’d get upset. “We’ve been skateboarding and we went to the beach the last two days. I made a few new friends while playing volleyball there.”

“Oh, that’s nice, dear. I always thought you were so good at that.” She smiled at him. 

“Maybe I’ll start playing again,” he mused. “It was fun.”

“Have you gotten thinner?” she asked suddenly, fussing with his loose borrowed shirt.

“I- no.” He tried to come up with a plausible excuse for not wearing his own clothes.

“Well, these aren’t your clothes, are they?” She frowned. “They’re so big. And not very flashy. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a plain white T-shirt before.”

“I spent the night at Roxas’ house, so I had to borrow something.”

“He’s a small boy like you.” Her brow furrowed. “Where did he get such big clothes?”

“I don’t know, Nanna. He must have let his laundry go, because this was all he had to give me. I came home to get something that’d fit.”  

“I’ll let you get back to it then.” She gave his hand a final pat and released it. “But come tell me where you are going more often, dear, you know I worry.” 

He knew that. It made him feel guilty. “Are you sure I can’t get you anything?”

“If it’s not too much trouble, could you refresh my tea?”

“Sure, Nanna.” He took her empty cup and laid a gentle kiss on her forehead, before leaving the room.

Ten minutes later and he was back on the stairs, heading up to his room for the second time. He grabbed a change of clothes from his dresser and went down the hall to the bathroom to take a shower. 

He caught sight of himself in the mirror, making himself grimace. His hair was rebelling mightily, sticking up in every direction.  _ This _ was why he always put gel in it. Controlled chaos was preferable to unrestrained chaos. And the clothes were terrible. He was swimming in them, making him look like a little kid in adult’s clothing. Bleh. He couldn’t believe he’d been out in public looking like this! He cast off the offending garments, and stepped into the shower.

* * *

Within the half hour, he was on his way to the thug’s apartment. Hopefully, he would be gone long enough for him to start on the windows. If not, oh well. It was worth the risk to get proper clothes. He ended up with dark green shorts, similar to his camo pants. He also wore a black T-shirt that said, mysteriously, “no, rubber potato.” in sketchy blue-grey text.

Roxas had gotten it for him for Christmas last year and his first impression of the thing had been less than pleasing. But, somehow it had grown on him. He’d ended up making a game out of counting the number of odd looks he received while wearing it. It was good for a laugh. Roxas knew him well after all; however, he was still devising a way to get back at him for such a weird gift. Wherever had he found the thing, anyway?

He arrived at Seifer’s apartment and pulled the key out, letting himself in. It looks like he beat him here, which was a good thing since Seifer had given him his only key. He’d hate to have come back to find the thug waiting on his own doorstep, locked out. 

Okay, then. Tinfoil.

Seifer arrived a little later, looking quite vexed. He slammed the door, making Hayner drop the roll of thin metallic light-blocker. It made a flurry of crinkly whooshy noises as it fell.

Seifer looked over at him. “Went home and showered, huh? Good idea.” He disappeared into his room and soon the sound of running water reached Hayner’s ears. 

It was rather loud. Had he left  _ both _ doors open? Hayner tiptoed to the doorway and craned his neck cautiously. The bathroom door was half open. It was hinged to open out into the room and towards the bedroom door, so the bathroom was shielded, except for the thin strip between the door and its frame. 

He saw movement suddenly, through the opening. A flash of white, and the trench coat was flung out into the room. It was quickly followed by the black of Seifer’s shirt. He got a glimpse of a muscled back before he realized what he was doing. He wrenched himself away from the doorway, his heart beating fast and loud.  _ What in the hell is wrong with me?  _ Who cares if the door’s open? That doesn’t mean you have to go **watch** !   

He resumed his struggles with the tinfoil, ignoring the impulse to go back to the doorway. This was seriously disturbing. Thank god he already finished the window in the bedroom already. 

Hayner was putting the finishing touches on the living room window, when Seifer came back out. His blond hair was disheveled and wet, falling into his eyes. A pair of dark brown cargo pants rode low on his hips.  _ Stop looking! _ He told himself vehemently.

“Done already?” the gang leader asked, walking past him into the kitchen.

“Yeah, just about.”

Seifer returned, handing him a cold bottled water. “Looks good,” he said, cracking his open and taking a drink. “I’ve been meaning to do that for a while now, thanks.”

Hayner opened his own bottle and took a swig. “Sure. I sorta owed you anyways.” He tipped his bottle at Seifer. “You haven’t been making me do stuff lately.”   

“I’m sure I could come up with something if you’re that desperate to do work for me,” Seifer said slyly.

“Jerk. You know what I mean.” He poured a little water into his hand and flicked it at the miscreant.

“Don’t start stuff you can’t finish, shrimp,” he said as he ran a hand slowly down his chest and stomach, the blond’s eyes following the motion. He wiped the excess water on his pants. “You want to watch the rest of Boondock Saints?”

“Okay.” Hayner tore his gaze away from Seifer’s torso, berating his own odd behavior, and went to put the movie on. He started it near the beginning, since he wasn’t quite sure where they’d left off last time.

Seifer sat towards one end of the couch, giving him room this time. The room was pleasantly dark even though the sun was still up, thanks to the tinfoil. Hayner sat as near to the middle as he could without crowding the other boy, so he could see the movie better. 

_ The two main characters, attractive youngish Irish guys, were crusading against the evils of the Russian and Italian mafia in their hometown of Boston, believing themselves to be on a mission from God.  _

_ They learn of a meeting of Russian syndicate bosses at a Boston hotel. Wearing masks and carrying a variety of weapons and tools, the two brothers crawl through the ventilation ducts of the hotel and accidentally crash through the ceiling into the middle of the mob gathering. It was unreal. They argued about whose fault it was while they squirmed, suspended in an undignified manner. All eyes were on them in disbelief. The shock eventually wore off, and the men started to go for their guns. _

_ Entangled hopelessly in the rope and hanging upside down, they did the only thing they could do. They started shooting, quickly taking out the nine bosses and underbosses.  _

_ Somehow they got themselves down.  _

_ Saving the leader for last, they recite a short prayer in their rich Irish accents, and kill him with two gunshots to the back of the head. The brothers place coins on the dead men's eyes. _

Hayner’s eyes were glued to the screen. It was amazing how funny the movie managed to be in the midst of all the killing. The brothers had both the worst and best luck. It was incredible they didn’t get killed, and all for the sake of a friend that was roughed up by the mafia. It was safe to say they were just a bit nuts. 

Seifer watched him watching the movie. He brooded, studying his profile. His gaze fell to the blond’s lips, remembering the popsicle incident. That tongue sliding provocatively up its pink icyness. The look that was in his eyes a thousand times over - the desire he refused to recognize. _Damn brat_ , you’ve been torturing me for days. I can’t even **think** about anything else anymore. I want to make gasp and cry out my name until we can’t even move.

* * *

“Hey,” Seifer said quietly a while later.

Hayner pulled his eyes from the screen. Seifer was looking at him with an intent expression. It was obvious that he had something on his mind and hadn’t been watching the movie.

“Were you ever afraid of me, Hayner?” he asked unexpectedly, voice smooth, and low. His eyes glinted in the dim light. 

There was a suspended quality to the moment, a breathlessness that seemed removed from the actual words.

Hayner felt put on the spot, his heart beginning to thump roughly in his chest. Why did that sounded like a loaded question? And since when had the miscreant ever called him by his  _ name _ ? “Err…”

Seifer leaned forward, pinning him with a scrutinizing stare. “Did your knees ever quake?” 

What was with that intensity? That predatory look? He shivered, unable to break eye contact. Something clenched and tightened in his stomach, making his eyes want to flutter closed. 

Hayner leaned back, trying to gain some distance, some time, but Seifer leaned closer. “Did your pulse ever hammer in your throat?” he practically purred.  _ Like now??  _ No, never. 

“Maybe… once or twice,” he squeaked.  Oh, that was dignified.

“When?” Seifer breathed, his eyes looking so light and so dark at the same time. It would be like hypnotizing yourself; trying to figure out the true color. His body was now dangerously close.

Was it getting hot in here? “Well, um… the first time we met you guys at the skate park.”

“Go on,” he encouraged in a low voice. “Tell me about it.”

Hayner swallowed. Was that Seifer’s breath he was feeling on his neck? No, it couldn’t be. “I knew who you were then. I just sort of acted in the moment… I thought I was going to get a brutal… ass kicking.” Hayner bit his lip. Seifer was nuzzling his neck and making his heart jump erratically. “Um, Sei-“

“What was the other time?” Those eyes were boring into his.

“When I-” he paused, looking away. “I sorta saw you the day of that gang fight,” he said uncomfortably. Damn, he hadn’t wanted to tell him about that.

“Oh? You were following me?” The smile spreading across Seifer’s face was making his knees weak.

“No! Well, maybe…” Hayner decided enough was enough. He shifted, looking for a way off the couch and found himself completely pinned. When did that happen? “Seifer, let me up.”

“What if I say no?” Seifer challenged him, softly.

Hayner flicked his gaze back to the gang leader.  He found himself staring into smoldering ice-blue eyes. His breath caught at the intensity of the look being directed at him. All at once, a mouth descended on his, sending shock waves through him and making his toes curl. The heat of Seifer’s body against his was robbing him of conscious thought and he thought he heard himself moan.

He broke away, gasping. “What… What are you doing??” 

Seifer leveled him with an unreadable look. It turned hard and Hayner found himself wanting to hide. That was the scary look. “Don’t fight me,” he ordered huskily. 

That voice made his insides ache and pulse. He closed his eyes. God, what was Seifer doing to him? He felt a hand trail over his stomach and slip under his shirt. Such sure hands… quickly unraveling his mind with their touch. 

Seifer teased a tender spot on his neck with his tongue, making him squirm. “Seif-“

“Shhh.” His mouth started suckling on that spot while his hand ran over his chest. 

“Unnnn,” Hayner groaned, feeling those hands slide low, lower, impossibly low, slipping underneath his shorts to stroke him. He tried to think of how wrong this was, but his body wasn’t listening. It was begging for him to let this to continue. 

“You’re such a brat,” Seifer murmured. “I don’t know how you caught my attention so easily.” He kissed the younger boy deeply. 

Lips and tongue and lust. He couldn’t think. “Me… either,” he gasped when they parted, trying to focus on anything but the hands that were caressing him so intimately. 

“And you were such a troublemaker, too.” He brushed their lips together tenderly. 

“That’s… part of my natural charm.” Oh my god, was he  _ flirting  _ with the miscreant? Shouldn’t he be putting a stop to this? 

“Charm?” Seifer chuckled throatily, making the other boy shiver. He pushed Hayner down onto the couch. “I would’ve said obnoxiousness.” 

He hovered over the blond, giving him an unobstructed view. 

Hayner swallowed as his eyes took in the expanse of bare skin and tensed muscle. He wanted to feel that body lowered to his. He must be going crazy. “Are you saying that being irritated turns you on?” Hayner grasped at the familiar verbal sparring. Seifer’s voice alone was making him come undone. He was  _ aching _ .

“Maybe, if it’s you,” he said wickedly, hiking Hayner’s shirt up. His mouth descending upon newly bared skin. 

“You… ahh! …freak.” Damn that sinful tongue. Now he could hardly string a sentence together, not even a measly two-worded one.

He barely noticed as Seifer stripped them of their remaining clothes. The older boy kept distracting him with kisses and touches that were driving him insane.

Seifer nudged his legs apart with a knee. 

“Hey, wait!” Hayner said starting to sit up. “I don’t know if I’m ready for all of that just yet.” He’d just barely gotten used to the idea that he maybe sort of wanted Seifer. 

Seifer forced him down again with a mind blowing kiss and inserted a slicked digit inside of him. “Mph!!” Hayner struggled, until that finger brushed something that made his insides turn to jello. He moaned, arching into Seifer.

“See? You’ll be fine. Now shut up and let me love you.” 

Hayner nodded dazedly. Seifer kept brushing that spot as he stretched him. It was incredible. 

Too soon, the fingers left him. Seifer lifted one of Hayner’s legs to wrap around him as he lay on his side and gently, but firmly pushed into him. Hayner cried out as Seifer slid across his sweet spot. 

“God, you’re sexy when you do that,” Seifer growled. He pinned the other boy’s wrists and thrust into him. “Cry for me, Hayner,” he breathed. “I want to hear everything.”

He was losing his mind. The feel of Seifer’s muscled body covering his, moving against him. Each stroke less restrained, hard, intoxicating. Lips still played at his neck, trailing warmly until he lost track of them again. 

He felt both fragile and strong under Seifer. Fragile, that he might be torn apart; strong, that he took it and eagerly awaited more. This passion was like oblivion. A crescendo into white nothingness. Everything so intense, that eventually he felt nothing but peace.  

Was it normal to feel this way about someone so quickly? To feel so helpless against them, so undermined, yet encouraging them to make you submit? 

Hayner had a strong sense of self, something he would never give up to anyone, and yet… something in Seifer acknowledged that, held it high and safe while he razed Hayner to the ground. He could give in to this, and it would not be seen as weakness. He knew that and understood it, without needing to exchange words.

When Seifer looked at him, he could always see the underlying respect. He had seen it even that first time they met.  While inside, he’d been shaking with fear, he stared down a devil and earned its approval, its interest, its… desire. 

How could he have known that this was what he ran from all this time? The true consequences of that day… The reason Seifer felt irresistibly drawn to him, seeking him out time and time again, ignoring the barbs he flung and returning his own as a way to keep even. Hurling insults as he sidled closer, a delicate web pulling them in and binding them inescapably, neither truly realizing it.

They were both helpless, slaves to this, and there was never any other way for this to be.

Seifer’s mouth sought his, hot and wanting, demanding everything he had to give, and more. Seifer was overcoming him, just as he would overcome Seifer in the end. Consuming him, just as he was inevitably consumed.

He felt his body start to tremble uncontrollably, a tremor forming in his thighs from tensing unused muscles for so long. His focus narrowed to the feel of Seifer within him, their harsh breaths, and the shaky tightness in his belly that was threatening to make him explode. He bit his lip, trying to stifle the moans that fell unsolicited from him his lips as he gasped for air. 

Seifer flicked his tongue lightly over Hayner’s bitten lip. “Stop that,” he murmured. “Let me hear you.” 

He slipped his hand under Hayner’s thigh, hiking his leg embarrassingly high, to rest over his shoulder. Hayner flushed, finding himself so open and exposed to the boy above him. Seifer watched his expression as he thrust into him again slowly, seemingly forever, the new position allowing him to penetrate so much deeper. 

“Ahhh!” Hayner cried out helplessly. God help him, he couldn’t keep it in any longer. His body tucked inward as Seifer rocked into him, each stroke a thousand times more intimate. Seifer’s fair hair caressed his face like brushes of silk. He moaned uncontrollably, no longer having the presence of mind to try and stop. The aching in his body was unbearable. He pulled Seifer’s hips to his roughly, fingernails marking the skin as he willed the motions to come faster, harder, anything to hurry this spiraling tightness. Seifer’s mouth hovered over his, sharing his breath, drinking in his gasps when he finally shuddered and came. The older boy gasped loudly, his breath hitching as his body tensed, pouring his essence into his lover and joining him in oblivion when he collapsed.     

* * *

“Why can’t I get enough of you?” Seifer mumbled into his neck when their heartbeats had finally slowed. His hand began to wander down Hayner’s side, kneading, stroking. Hayner shivered, his pulse picking up again as Seifer’s hand ghosted across his stomach.

“What are you doing?” he asked drowsily. “We already-“ He was cut off as Seifer kissed him. He felt the passion still lingering there, waiting to be ignited, like glowing embers.

The threadings of desire were working their way through him like iridescent strands of red fire. Seifer cupped him in his hand, teasing him slowly, making him bite his lip. Surely they wouldn’t be able to do this so soon?  Seifer stroked him then, lightly, harder, lightly again, before rocking his thumb gently across the tip of him, making him squirm; the sensation was almost too much. Seifer gripped his hips to still the movement, panting slightly. Hayner could feel him growing hard again inside him. He blushed furiously.

“Hey.” Seifer caught Hayner’s gaze with his, searchingly. “I’m not sure how you’re perceiving this…” he looked like he was having difficulty saying what was next, “but you have to know this isn’t just a one time thing for me.” 

Hayner was startled. He had wondered before if that was all this was going to be. The thought that he might’ve been nothing more than a conquest pained him too much to dwell on. “I… wasn’t sure, you know, before…” he looked away. _ What does he mean? That I’m a good enough lay to have more than once? Or is he trying to say something else? _ Could they be on the verge of a relationship? “I don’t know how this kinda stuff usually goes.” Did Seifer even  _ do _ relationships? 

Hayner glanced back at him, vulnerability in his eyes. “Have you been with anyone else like this?”

“A few times,” he conceded reluctantly. “But this is different….I  _ want _ you,” he said huskily, “but I want  **all** of you. I want your time, your loyalty, your trust…I want  _ everything _ .” His look intensified, fear and defiance warring in his gaze.  “Can you handle that?” 

“Are you trying to ask me out?” Hayner replied mischievously.

“You damn punk,” Seifer growled playfully, a slight smile surfacing on his face. “I was trying to be serious.” He chose that moment to move within Hayner, making him groan. He smirked, mollified somewhat, but his attention was starting to wane as he felt the boy’s muscles constricting around him. “God, Hayner,” he breathed. This was bad. He didn’t know what he was going to do if the blond boy wasn’t interested in a relationship. He’d never had anyone affect him so wholly like this. He’d never needed someone so badly after having just had them. He’d never had anyone hold any power over him. “Give me an answer,” he whispered into his neck. He closed his eyes tightly, feeling the pain of uncertainty marking his features.

“I-“ Hayner was having trouble keeping his brain from turning off. Seifer kept moving within him, and his lips and mouth were descending on every inch of his skin which were within reach. He gave up. “Yes?” Hopefully that was a sufficient answer, because he didn’t think he could be any more eloquent at the moment. 

Seifer pulled back, so he could study his face. He realized that asking something like this right  _ now _ was probably about the worst timing possible, since he wanted a real answer, not one given in the throes of passion. But here they were, and he didn’t want to wait until later on to know. Hayner’s eyes were at half mast, swimming with lust, his face open and honest. He could see the insecurity there and the fear. But there was also trust in those rich brown eyes, a trust so pure that he wondered if he could ever be worthy of it.

Seifer felt relief flushing through him, as a tension he hadn’t realized was there seeped out of him, a fragile smile forming on his face. He hid it quickly against the other boy’s neck, not wanting to be completely exposed, but knowing that Hayner had already seen it and smiled in turn. He found himself laughing at the nonsensicality of that - what was the point in hiding what has already been discovered? Despite the jangled mess he was feeling at having been seen so defenseless, part of him was glad.

Hayner ran his hands down Seifer’s back in a soothing manner, saying nothing about the wetness that fell upon his neck. He knew from his own experience that it came unbidden and sometimes unnoticed. 

After a time, Seifer propped himself up on an elbow, looking quite composed. He touched a hand to Hayner’s face. “Thank you for giving this a chance,” he said uncharacteristically, a soft expression in his eyes. He leaned in and kissed Hayner slowly, pouring everything he was feeling into it.

“I do hope you’re going somewhere with that,” Hayner breathed. He’d never felt such emotion for another person before this. He wanted to meld with him… to push through… to fall inside of him till the boundaries of skin faded around them.

“Anything, for you,” Seifer replied, making love to him a second time.

* * *

“Oh, god,” Hayner groaned, heaving in heavy breaths, as Seifer went down on him. He was losing himself all over again, caught between the swirling slick torture and the hands that held his hips so firmly.  He was so close…

“Not yet,” Seifer commanded softly.

“I… can’t… ah!” He panted, trying to keep himself under control, but losing the battle. Seifer was bringing him almost to climax and back down again, so many times now, he was losing count.

“S-Seifer,” he moaned, his voice sounding strained, “please.”

Seifer hadn’t meant to torture his lover so, but he couldn’t seem to stop. He wanted to own every noise that slipped out, wanted to hear his name called out in that voice endlessly. But, he was almost losing hold of himself just from listening to Hayner’s pleas. 

“Wait for me,” he breathed, laying himself across the blond’s restless body. 

Hayner whimpered as he settled on top of him. It took every ounce of willpower not give in to the rushing pull of pleasure.

Seifer prepared himself gingerly, gritting his teeth against the sensation of the cool gel. He waited for his breathing to calm before sliding slowly into his waiting lover.

“Ahh! Seifer!” he could hear the desperation in the blond’s voice.

“Not yet,” he whispered. Hayner’s hands were clutching desperately at his back. Wanting. Needing. He began to move, shallow thrusts that were blinding him with their intensity. He held out as long as he could, but it was faster this time, their bodies still thrumming with the force of their first coupling. His heart beat a frantic staccato in his chest. 

“Now,” he consented, feeling Hayner rock into him sharply as he cried out, dragging control out of his hands at last. He felt Hayner constrict upon him almost violently, sucking his length in undulating waves. He bit his own hand to keep from screaming out at the intensity of his orgasm. It was like liquid fire was coursing through him, making him shudder roughly as he granted his body the release it sought. 

* * *

When Hayner regained his senses, he looked at his tormentor. “Seifer, you do that again, and I’m going to have to kill you.”

“You… liked it,” Seifer replied, still trying to catch his breath.

“I feel like I just  **died** ,” he said tiredly. “I thought you were supposed to go easy on me my first time.”

“I tried.” He almost sounded repentant, but the satisfied smirk that kept stealing over his face was ruining the effect.

“And I’m not gonna be able to walk for at least a week,” he said, punching Seifer in the arm. “You prepared to carry me around?”

“Of course,” Seifer said with a leer. “But why get up?”

“Argh. Are you trying to kill me?” he moaned, putting a hand over his eyes.

“Never,” he replied, brushing a feather-light kiss across his temple.

Hayner moved his hand out of his eyes, resting it on his forehead so he could look Seifer in the face. He studied his features like he could commit them to memory.

“All that,” he said quietly, “and I still don’t know how the damn movie ends.”

Seifer grinned. “Ain’t that the way? I’ve seen the movie dozens of times, but I’ve only seen the ending twice.”

* * *

 

TBC


	8. Where's Roxas?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.
> 
>  **Axel and Roxas theme music** was much of the album "In Reverie" by Saves the Day  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ApCcmnj-7s
> 
> for this chapter, and poor Roxas moments, especially these songs  
> 7\. Monkey 16:10  
> 8\. In My Waking Life 19:33  
> 11\. Wednesday the Third 26:44

* * *

 

 ****_ Chapter 8: Where’s Roxas?  _

Roxas listened to his phone ring again with detached interest. He vaguely wondered how many times it would be this time before the caller gave up. 15… 16……… 20… he counted. It felt odd to him that he didn’t feel like answering. Usually the noise would get to him after four or five rings.

24… 25…

He lay on his bed, staring at the ceiling, drumming his fingers distractedly on the front pocket of his jeans.

There. 27. It was a new record.

He closed his eyes, contemplating the heavy weight he felt in his chest, like a band of iron slowly crushing his lungs. There was, jointly, a constricting pain clenching at his heart.

It had been like this for a few days now, steadily getting worse. His insomnia was back full force. He spent a lot of the day trying to make up for the missed sleep. His appetite had been flagging as well. Usually, he loved to eat, but he couldn’t seem to find the time or energy to bother with it. Sort of like how he couldn’t muster the strength or incentive to get up and answer the phone when it was only a few feet away.

Was he getting sick?

No… somehow he didn’t think that was it. Maybe something was bothering him?

He frowned. This wasn’t getting him anywhere. He rolled off the bed, deciding he was thirsty, and dragged himself to the bathroom to get a glass of water. His jeans slid down a little as he walked and the bottoms of the pant legs _shluf-shluffed_ across the carpet and kept getting caught beneath his heels.  Absentmindedly, he tugged them back up, but they slouched back down almost immediately.

Roxas grabbed the dark blue cup he had next to the sink and filled it with water. He watched his own tired reflection as he drank, marveling at the dark circles under his eyes and the hollow expression he couldn’t seem to change. He looked like hell.

The phone started ringing again, and he shut the door with disgust, opting for a shower to drown out the incessant noise.

It was faint, but he could still hear it.  In fact, he’d been zoning out, counting the rings again unintentionally. 7… 8… 9… He slammed the cup down on the faux marble counter in a sudden fit of anger. Why couldn’t whoever it was just leave him **alone** ? He didn’t _want_ to talk to anybody.

He ripped off his plain red shirt and threw it onto the floor, catching sight of the unidentified ‘mark’ on his neck as he undid the button on his jeans.

Just a glimpse of it, the reddish bruise branding the skin between his neck and shoulder, made his entire body shake with fine, sickly tremors. He backed up until he felt the cold paper of the bathroom wall on his back.

Just like the last few times, he sucked in deep shuddering breaths to calm his rolling stomach, avert the prickling saltiness in his eyes, and to distract himself from the deadening waves of loneliness that threatened to consume him.

He slid to the floor, clutching his legs to his chest.

His chest felt hollow, a dark narrow cavern filled with a frantic scrabbling, like clenched crawling fingers trying desperately to escape. It was a desolate confinement, curving walls affected only by the air he breathed in and the dull thudding of his heart.

Everything else faded into the darkness of this suffocating stillness, blanketing all of that.

His face pressed to his knees and he was barely aware of the hot wet trails forming on his cheeks.

* * *

“He’s not picking up.” Hayner frowned at the cell phone in his hand before handing it back to Seifer.

“Maybe he’s not home.”

“I’ve called him like 20 times over the past few hours! Where would he be?”

Seifer shrugged.

“If he’s not out with me, or the guys, he’s usually at home…” Hayner flopped onto the carpeted bedroom floor, brooding. He propped his chin on the heel of his hand. “Roxas _knew_ I’d be free later today, since it was the final day of gofering… and it’s already 7pm.” He looked troubled.

Seifer ruffled Hayner’s hair. “Why don’t you just stop by his place later, if you’re so worried?”

“Hey, quit it. You’ll make it stick up everywhere.” He swatted half-heartedly at the miscreant’s hand. “And who says I’m _worried_?”

Seifer tilted Hayner’s head back, his hand still firmly atop the younger boy’s head. He peered down blandly at challenging brown eyes. “Runt, it couldn’t be more obvious.”

“Bah.” Hayner pushed at Seifer’s arm, sliding it heavily from his head, and got to his feet again. _Restless?_ he thought. _Who, me?_

But, Seifer was right- worrying was futile. Only- it was one thing to know that and quite another to be able to _stop_. He started pacing.

“Alright,” Seifer announced doggedly. “I’m going into the kitchen. If you’re still doing _that_ ,” he waved a hand at Hayner’s pacing and muttering, ”when I get back, I’m throwing your ass outside.” He turned on his heel and left the bedroom. “Before you drive me nuts,” he added under his breath.

“I heard that, you thug,” Hayner retorted.

He stopped pacing after a few moments, deciding to follow the miscreant. “And if you’re going in there for a beer, I’ll just let myself out now,” he called after him obnoxiously, knowing that was exactly what Seifer had gone to get.

Seifer reappeared in the doorway to the kitchen, empty handed, giving him a sour look.  “What’ve you got against Hops?”

“Everything,” Hayner said airily, moving towards the kitchen.

Seifer was currently giving him one of _those_ looks. The kind that he couldn’t decipher, but made his heart pulse harder in his chest.

Seifer leaned against the doorframe and reached out an arm, blocking his entry into the kitchen. “Care to elaborate?” he challenged softly.

Ok, now _that_ look was easier to read. It was the ‘you’re about to get jumped’ look, if he wasn’t mistaken. He swallowed around the nervous fluttering in his stomach. “No.”

Seifer hooked his hand around Hayner’s waist, pulling him abruptly against his chest. The blond’s hands, which shot out when he tried to keep his balance, were trapped between them.

Hayner tested his entrapment, shifting futilely. One of Seifer’s arms held him solidly in place as he tried to break free; the other hand tilted Hayner’s chin firmly upwards, bringing their faces mere breaths apart.  

“Are you afraid you’ll get drunk?” Seifer murmured teasingly, a smile curving his mouth. “That someone will ravish you when your guard is down?” His lips brushed Hayner’s playfully, his tongue flicking out to taste him.

Hayner tried to ignore the body he was pressed so fully against, and the tempting mouth that was vying for his attention so insistently. He tried to ignore the way his knees were going weak. “No.” He was pleased his voice sounded steady.

“You should be.” His tongue slid sensuously into Hayner’s mouth, making him whimper as it forced his lips apart. Seifer explored him at leisure, their mouths locked hotly in a soulfully deep kiss.

His hands wandered down Hayner’s back and underneath his pants to squeeze his backside and the movement lightly rocked their hips together. Hayner’s nails scraped his chest as they clutched handfuls of his shirt, a muffled moan escaping his otherwise occupied mouth. Damn. If this continued, he was going to have his way with Hayner up against the kitchen counter.

But, three times in one day was pushing it and he hadn’t meant to follow Hayner’s first time _immediately_ with his second time. He was going to be sore enough as it was.

Seifer reluctantly pulled away, vowing to show some restraint.  “They’d be on you in an instant,” he said thickly.

“You think so?” Hayner murmured, pushing up against him. The evidence was there that he was enjoying this every bit as much as Seifer. “Maybe it’s just _you_ who’d try to take advantage of me?” he suggested in a sultry voice.

 _Restraint!_ Seifer commanded himself as he looked into Hayner’s warm brown eyes. “Not a chance. I catch people watching you all the time.” _Restraint!!_ His brain cried weakly as his eyes locked on kiss-bruised lips. He took a deep breath. “But I’m about to take advantage of you again, in a big way, if we don’t move from here right now. And I don’t think you’ll thank me in the morning.” He looked meaningfully at Hayner, making the blond flush when he realized what Seifer was getting at.

Hayner was too adorable for his own good. He ran a hand through the unruly blond hair affectionately. “Maybe you shouldn’t spend the night again tonight,” he said, still feeling the pull of those wide eyes. “I don’t think I’ll be able to keep my hands off you.”

Hayner stood on tiptoe, planting a loud kiss chastely upon Seifer’s mouth, and grinning like a little beast. “Done.” He cocked his head to the side and said wistfully, “Though I’m not sure I care about how I’d feel in the morning.”

“C’mon, you.” Seifer pushed off from the doorframe and headed for the door, pulling Hayner along with him, before he could change his mind. “Let’s get you home.”

* * *

“I wanna stop by Roxas’ first.” Hayner stopped at the crossroads, turning to him. “You mind?”

“Nah.”

They walked to the horrifically colored apartment complex in near silence. Seifer was surprised Hayner wanted him along. He wasn’t certain or anything, but he’d thought that Hayner might not want to divulge the nature of their relationship to his best friend. At least, not right away.

He _would_ appear suspiciously like moral support as he hung back and waited for Hayner to try and get his friend to answer his summons. And today **was** the last day of reconciling the bet. After this, people might talk…

Seifer felt the sudden urge to pinch the bridge of his nose in an attempt to thwart the oncoming pressure between his eyes. Things had somehow gotten unbelievably complicated. He wasn’t sure what exactly the repercussions would be once everyone got wind of this.

The whole thing was going to be a lot of grief.

There’d be the people who thought he was less on his game now, that a relationship with a boy would make him less tough, less dangerous. That gang from before was a good example. He shook his head. It was beyond him why people thought who you slept with made such a drastic change to your personality.

Then there were the people who just wanted to get a dig in. They’d try to knock him down a peg or two, by challenging him indirectly. Of course the little fuckers would be oblique about it. He frowned. Hayner would be an exceptional target now. Especially if they found out.

They reached some stairs, which apparently led to Roxas’ apartment. Hayner promptly ran up them. Seifer chose to wait at the bottom.

The sound of knocking reached Seifer’s ears. Then silence. A long silence, then the knocking again. Well, either Roxas was out, or he didn’t feel like answering. He took a few steps back to see which door Hayner was pounding on. It was the unit on this side, so his windows would be… _there_ . Seifer could see that a light was on. Roxas probably _was_ home then.

Hayner scowled as he trudged back down the steps. “I can’t believe he’s ignoring me. Me! I thought I was supposed to be his best friend or something.”

Seifer quelled the urge to sling an arm around Hayner’s shoulders. It would’ve distracted him from his rant, surely, but it was also the sort of thing he needed to avoid in public from now on. The sooner people caught on, the sooner Hayner’s safety might be compromised. He felt the rage boiling up like it did that last time, during the streetfight. If those punks, or anyone else for that matter, did even a _fraction_ of the things they’d threatened to do to Hayner that night, he’d kill them. Literally. And that was after they’d only speculated about what Hayner was to him. Wouldn’t they plan worse if they knew for sure?

Seifer shoved his hands in his pockets, scowling. Why did everything worthwhile have to be so difficult?

“Do you have to make that face? People are gonna think you’re out for blood.”

He slanted a sharp look at Hayner, gauging his reaction. “Maybe I am.”

Hayner scoffed, “Well, not right now, you’re not.”  

“Hn.”

“Just be sure to tone it down a bit if you ever meet my Grandma, okay?”

Seifer raised a brow. “Were you planning on introducing me?”

“Maybe…” Hayner scuffed his feet on the pavement. “I just thought- well…” he stopped, regarding Seifer with one of the most serious faces he’d ever seen on the boy. “Does that bother you?”

Seifer was surprised, to say the least. He was an unsavory sort of character. Not exactly the type you brought home to mom, or grandma, in this case. “No, not at all. I’ll try to be civilized for you.” He smiled a little to take the sting out of the words.

“I’m not asking you to not be yourself.” Hayner veered into him lightly, hands also in his pockets, bumping him with his shoulder. It was a cute, haphazard sort of interaction. One that said everything that needed to be said, but wasn’t as easily perceived through other eyes. “Just ratchet down the bloodlust a little.”

* * *

Roxas woke up, his cheek pressed uncomfortably against the cold hard tile of the bathroom floor. He raised his head blearily, trying to get his bearings as he breathed through a slightly stuffy nose.

His head felt as if it were full of cotton. The kind of cotton that made you disoriented, and vertically challenged. If there were such a thing. In any case, it was unpleasant.

The bathroom looked rather different from down here. The lights and the ceiling seemed miles away. Even the countertop seemed impossibly far. It was like he was only a foot tall, staring up at the vastness of someone else’s oversized world.

His eyes drifted to the tub. Its white porcelain side rose dauntingly high before him.

He pushed himself erect, too exhausted to just stand, and slid-pulled himself to it. He flung a lethargic arm weakly over the edge and rested for a moment before attempting to crawl over the side. His throat felt raw, and his stomach fussed with hunger or some such thing. Appetite… indigestion… it was hard to tell. He hadn’t _felt_ hungry for days.

He contemplated the tub, wondering why it had to be so freakishly high. How much water did a person **need**? (Nevermind that he usually wished it was a bit bigger so he could lie in it without his knees breaking the surface of the water.)

Roxas surveyed the sad scene of himself, in this space, lamenting the hugeness of a tub that was quite small as he lay draped over its edge and across half the floor. His shirt was crumpled against the far wall, having landed like a broken toy where he’d flung it. His jeans which he was currently wearing, were twisted a quarter turn past where they should be and were tightly binding his legs as they rode exceedingly low.

His stomach burbled angrily.

Maybe he should hold off on that bath for now. At this rate, he might drown.

* * *

“Hayner! Boy, where have you been!?” a voice shrilled as soon as Hayner opened the door to his house. He had to stop himself from reflexively slamming it closed again (and getting out of dodge). Rather, Seifer’s hand shot out to keep it from doing just that.

“Get in here,” his grandma huffed. She looked and sounded more like a mom, Hayner thought. She was incredibly young for her age.

Seifer decided it was time to go. He gave Hayner what he hoped was an encouraging look as he went to go, but he suspected it was more of a grimace.

“And you too,” she added sharply, making Seifer jump.

It was amazing how quickly he felt on edge, as if he were younger again, and it was his own parents about to chew him out for something. He turned to see a spry looking woman of around 60 years of age. Her hands were on her hips and she regarded him with sparking brown eyes. She had to crane her head a bit to do so, as she was even shorter than Hayner.

He considered his options. He owed no allegiance to this woman, so he had no reason to sit through a tongue-lashing. On the other hand, she was Hayner’s guardian, so that garnered her some respect. Besides, he knew she was important to the blond. He didn’t want to make an enemy of her by simply being dismissive.

He slunk guiltily after Hayner and into the house, the closing of the door behind them sounding like the sealing of a tomb.

“You never came home last night,” she started in, glaring at her grandson.

Seifer tried to blend into the background as inconspicuously as possible. Family spats were something he’d never been good at dealing with. You always had to play by such a complex set of rules, especially if you cared about them. Although, he’d stopped caring about his own parents when they threw him out. Fifteen is a young age to be cast into the world.

They started sending him stuff a year later when they discovered he was no longer speaking to them. The ceramic dishes were one of those… reminding him of a time before his family had failed him, when he still believed that they were there to protect him. He’d laughed bitterly when he realized he was too sentimental to throw it back in their faces.

“Nanna, maybe you shouldn’t be out of bed,” Hayner said worriedly.

“And maybe you should keep your word,” she coughed. Raising her voice was seemingly difficult on her. “You said you’d let me know where you were, so I could have some peace of mind!”

Hayner looked imploringly at her, “I’m sorry, Nanna, I…”

”I was _worried_ about you. I even called Roxas’ house, thinking maybe you were over there again, but there was no answer. And you know how quickly he always picks up-”

“Not lately, he doesn’t,” Hayner grumbled, cutting her off.

“If you were _there_ , **you** would have answered then. Where have you _been_?”

“Well, you see…” he started with some difficulty, and a lot of gesturing.

“And who is _this_?” She peered at Seifer, scrutinizing and dissecting him with her gaze. He was glad he had opted for a simple shirt and jeans when he dressed. He failed to think how his normal attire would inspire confidence in the woman. Though, she was still staring at the skully and boots in disdain.

“A frie-”

“Come with me,” she snipped at Seifer, temporarily ignoring her grandson, “and take that silly thing off your head.”

“And _you_ ,” she threw a withering look at Hayner as she stalked into the kitchen, “go to your room.”

Hayner watched Seifer drag the skully off his head, running a hand through his light blond hair as he followed Nanna out of the room. This was unexpected. Totally unexpected. And nerve-wracking. He’d sort of imagined himself being there when they met and talked for the first time, not sent to his room for confinement.

He trudged up the stairs to his room, wishing there was some way he could hear what was going on in the other room and feeling like he was abandoning the miscreant rather unfairly. But there was nothing he could do. Nanna’s word was law.

Right now he wondered if she **knew** somehow. With whatever sixth sense maternal figures always seemed disposed to, _knew_ the recent turn of events that had changed their relationship into something more.

He hadn’t expected that the first ‘girl’ he brought home to meet his Gran wouldn’t be a girl at all. The only thing remotely _feminine_ about Seifer was perhaps the elegant refinement of his face, but it still seemed misplaced to call it that. Seifer had a wild, savage sort of appeal. Like the beauty of a panther as it stalks towards you, ready to rip your throat out.

To top it off, he’d slept with someone he’d purposely **_completely_ ** avoided mentioning before, for fear of upsetting her. How… inopportune.

He wondered how she was going to take it.

* * *

Thelma bustled into the kitchen.

“Sit,” she ordered, turning to busy herself with something at the counter.

Seifer gingerly took a seat at the dark oak table. The chairs were old-style: curved wooden backs, extending wooden armrests, not a cushion in sight. They were questionably comfortable.

“How do you like your coffee?” she inquired. “Black?” Her tone had a testing quality to it. Most likely she was thinking of the age-old saying: Never trust a man who drinks his coffee black (a taste so bitter, only the tongues of the wicked could ever enjoy). Some people really believed it branded you as either strange or a psychopath. It was another one of those spotty sort of stereotypes - Extremely accurate in some instances, but utterly failing in others. Like horoscopes. In any case, it didn’t apply.

“Not if I can help it,” he replied amicably. Hayner said he could be himself, so he would. Only, he’d try to be more sociable than usual.

She glanced at him appraisingly before turning back to the coffee.

A minute or two later, she approached the table with two steaming beverages. Unfortunately, the coffee was being served in a teacup and saucer with a prolifically flowery motif scrolling around them. Seifer congratulated himself on not reacting outwardly with a sour face or a rolling of the eyes at the feminine looking china.

She set them down, sliding one across the table to Seifer.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized evenly, “but all the mugs Hayner uses are dirty.”

“It’s not a problem,” he said valiantly, as he picked up the dainty cup, managing not to sneer. Why did people even bother with these things? It only held a few mouthfuls worth of whatever you put in it. Pointless.

He took a sip. Light on sugar, heavy on creamer. She’d guessed his preference accurately. Impressive.

He put the cup down and searched her face. She didn’t appear all that angry, like she had before. Instead, she was sipping her tea with an air of fabricated serenity, only a slight frown marring the effect.

“You really care about him, don’t you?” he asked wonderingly. _Even though he’s not your son…_

She nodded. “And so do you, if I’m not mistaken,” she said, meeting his eyes.

He’d almost gone for another sip of coffee just then, and was glad he hadn’t; It would’ve been all over the table.

“He’s a good friend,” he managed, breaking the intrusive gaze.

“Don’t be obtuse, you know what I mean.”

She set down her cup and settled back into her chair with a sigh. “You’re the one he’s been running around with lately?” She pursed her lips disapprovingly. “He should have just mentioned it instead of being dishonest.”

So, Hayner had avoided mentioning him…

He’d be lying if he said it didn’t sting a little.

“He’s horrible at it, you know,” she said, as if in confidence. “He gets all antsy and still at the same time, and very solemn. It’s so pitifully transparent that sometimes I just have to humor him.” She shook her head. “I knew those borrowed clothes he had the other day weren’t Roxas’. They must have been yours.”

He found himself caught again in that stern gaze. He couldn’t tell if she liked him or hated him.

“They were,” Seifer said casually, hoping he wasn’t implying anything further with his tone or expression.

From the look on her face, she wasn’t far from guessing.

“Just what are your intentions towards my boy?” she blindsided him.

 _Fine. Drag it all out into the open._ This was going to become complicated indeed if she was against it. He wondered how much sway she had with Hayner, if she’d be able to convince him to stay away from him…

“I think you’ve guessed,” he said as calmly as he could, trying not to grit his teeth. “Why don’t you tell me what you think about it?”

“Calm down, dear,” she placated. “I’m not _against_ it… I’m just… surprised. Especially since he never mentioned you. I don’t see why- you seem like such a nice boy.”

“Because I’m a thug.”

“With that hair? Please. I wasn’t born yesterday.”

Seifer scowled, before he could stop himself, and crammed the skully back onto his head.

“Ok, I can sort of see why you wear that thing now. It helps you look the part.” She tilted back slightly in her chair, leaning it just barely onto the back two legs, a smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. She was definitely teasing him.

“You two are disturbingly similar,” he muttered.

“I’ll take that as a compliment, dear.”

She looked at him quite seriously, analyzing his molecules or something. It was a very deep gaze. “I’d be completely against it if I didn’t think you were serious,” she informed him sternly. “As it is, I’m surprised he brought a boy home to me…”

Seifer opened his mouth to say something.

“But I can see the bond between you two,” she continued doggedly, “and I would never try to take something like that away from him.”

She reached across the table with a warm smile, patting Seifer’s hand in a gesture of acceptance and affection. “Just try not to hurt the little beast, and we’ll get along swimmingly.”

* * *

TBC

 

 **A/N:** oh, nanna. LOL

poor Seifer. how awkward for him hahaa.


	9. Grounded?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

**** _ Chapter 9: Grounded?! _

Hayner tossed and turned, not quite managing to get comfortable, despite how much he really wished to be asleep. He finally flopped onto his side to face the wall, as close to it as he could get, willing his limbs to become leaden with the precursors of unconsciousness. They twitched uncooperatively.

If he could just get through tonight, this one last night, he’d be free of his grounding already. 

Seifer had left almost promptly after he and Nanna had emerged from the kitchen. He may have been confined to his room, but he’d sat with his ear to the door, straining to make out voices, sounds, anything. What he did hear was muffled voices and the faint clomping of Seifer’s boots as he left. The front door opened and closed resolutely. He was so focused on the fact that Seifer had just left, that he almost missed the footfalls on the stairs. He leaped back from the door just before it opened, falling into a scattered heap.  _ But! She never used the stairs! _ Well, hardly ever…

“You’re hopeless,” his grandmother told him blandly. “And you’re also grounded for two days.”

He gaped at her. “But, your knees-” He really couldn’t get past the fact that she had used the stairs. It’d only ever happened like one other time.

“I can get around when I need to,” she huffed. “It’s just best I don’t make a habit of it. But, did you  _ hear _ me, Hayner? Grounded. 2 days.” 

“What for?!”

“For causing me mental anguish,” she crossed her arms over her chest. “And for lying about where you’ve been all the time. And, now that I think about it, maybe I should ground you for longer.”

“Nooooo, Nanna! 2 days is fine! I’ll do it. Please, I can’t take any more boredom than that!” 

“You’d best think of that next time you decide to start hiding things from me.”

“I will, I  _ promise _ !” God, he  _ hated _ being grounded. It was so wretched! It also meant two full days of not knowing what had transpired in the kitchen. 

“So you stay in your room, no phone calls, but you make sure you eat when you need to,” she told him sternly.

So, he’d traded one torment for another, all in the span of a day. Gofer to prisoner. How wonderful.

* * *

Hayner stared at the blank white wall in the quasi light, trying to feel the dark with every fragment of his being, wishing for sleep. No,  _ straining _ for sleep. Oh, but it never happened when you forced it. It was like the whole ‘watching water boil’ thing. It was no good, didn’t speed anything up, but you can’t help yourself. You’re too impatient to do anything else.

He heard a rustle of cloth but dismissed it as the flapping of his curtains, moved by the wind of the rotating ceiling fan. He liked it on high, but it tended to rustle papers and things all the time. It took a while to tune out those meaningless sorts of noises with ease. Now, he almost always knew what made what sort of noise, so he hardly ever bothered to look anymore. He burrowed deeper under the covers, feeling a peacefulness descending upon him at last.

That peace, of course, was smashed into a thousand jagged pieces a moment later, when someone slipped into the bed behind him. A firm hand clamped over his mouth.

Hayner was well on his way to hyperventilating, when a warm body pressed against his. Jarring adrenaline raced through every synapse, blinding him with panic.

“Mphf!!!”

“Shhh. Hayner, it’s me,” a low voice whispered.

“mphf?”

The hand removed itself. 

“Seifer!” he whispered ugently as he flipped over, “what the  **_hell_ ** are you doing here? You scared me half to death, you bastard! How did you get in?” 

“I picked the lock,” he said easily, as if telling someone the sky was blue.

“You _ what _ ?” Hayner hissed.

“I missed you,” he said simply, searching Hayner’s eyes in the dark. “I haven’t seen or heard from you in two days.”

“But, I’ll be off grounding  _ tomorrow _ ! If Nanna finds you here, she’ll ground me for WEEKS. Maybe months- or even  **more** , if she finds you in  _ my bed _ !”

“Why stop there?” he said slyly, pulling Hayner to him, catching him in a demanding kiss. 

The blond struggled initially. “Seif- dammit, sto… stop fooling around!” 

Seifer wrestled him down onto the bed, pinning his arms to either side of his head. He could feel the glare he was getting, even if he couldn’t fully see it. 

He nuzzled Hayner’s neck, purposely going for a spot he knew drove the blond crazy. He heard the barest hitch in the other boy’s breath, felt the slightest easing in the tensed muscles. “How long would she ground you for this?” he mused aloud as he pressed against him. He had discarded all but his boxers before joining Hayner in bed, and was pleased to discover the blond had gone to bed in a similar fashion. Their bare skin met everywhere, shivering between the shared body heat and the coolness from the fan. 

“Years,” Hayner breathed, shuddering against him. It was ridiculous how fast he responded to Seifer. His resistance was laughable.

“How about now?” he whispered. He covered Hayner’s mouth with his, muting desperate moans as he ground their hips together in sensuously slow movements. He’d been thinking of nothing but Hayner for the last two days. He’d wanted to see him, talk to him, touch him. Everything had seemed to conspire to drive him out of his mind with these cravings, reminding him of the time they’d had together. He’d had to avoid the couch- it sent such vivid images racing through his head. Painfully erotic images that tortured him without ceasing. It was driving him crazy, and now he wanted Hayner as badly as he ever had. 

“She’ll… sentence me… to… life,” Hayner gasped out. Or she’d sentence him to death. Either seemed likely. But, the fear of discovery was dissolving around him as hands ran down his belly. “Seifer…” he moaned, “why do you do this to me?”

“Because I need you,” he replied huskily, tugging down the blond’s boxers. “I don’t want to let you out of my sight. The past two days were killing me.” He slid down Hayner’s body, trailing lips and kisses down his stomach, making him squirm. He traced the arch of Hayner’s hip with his tongue as he finished pulling the boxers down his legs and off. He got rid of his own as well.

“Did you miss me?” Seifer asked, as Hayner tossed helplessly under his hands. He ghosted a palm across the boy’s need, as he worked his way back up the trembling body beneath him.

“Y-yesss.”

“In what way?” he prompted. He hovered over the blond’s mouth, his words sending shivers through the other boy. His chest constricted with the knowledge of how much he was drawn to this boy, how much he was starting to care. He traced the lines of Hayner’s face, caressing him with his eyes, memorizing every detail. He took in the delicate flutter of his eyelids, the curving shadows of his lashes on flushed cheeks. The way his brows drew together, as his breath came quickly through his soft and pliant lips.

“I wanted… to know how things would… be from now on,” Hayner panted. “I can’t stop thinking about you… but-,” he groaned as Seifer wrapped capable fingers around him. Why did Seifer always have to make him talk when he could hardly even  _ think _ ? 

“But?”

“But I want you,” he murmured with embarrassment. “I want you to do this to me. Over and over.” 

Seifer kissed him deeply as he stroked sensitive skin. The younger boy’s hips were arching upward as he sought more sensation. The sight and feel of Hayner was fueling his desire, making him ache almost painfully. He wanted to be inside this wanton creature, enclosed in grasping arms and legs.

“Hang on a second,” Seifer said quietly, breaking free so he could hang over the side of the bed to rifle through his clothes.  _ Figures they were a bit out of reach, _ he thought as he stretched. Hayner’s hands followed him down, kneading the taut muscles in his back as he tried to keep his balance on one arm. They were tracing intricate patterns down the small of his back, trailing down to his thighs, making him suck in a breath. 

He was momentarily distracted as he felt the wet heat of a mouth tracing the curve of his ass,  and as fingertips were massaging and scraping lightly at the skin. His eyes slipped closed as the touches sent eddying ripples of pleasure through him. His hips were pressed tightly into the mattress in this position, intensifying his reaction to Hayner’s bold exploration, forcing a groan through his lips. 

He could practically hear the smirk in Hayner’s voice as he let out a pleased laugh.  _ Oh, no you don’t, brat. _ He rallied himself and soon found the tube of lubricant in his pants pocket. His goal firmly in hand, he slid back onto the bed and fixed Hayner with an intimidating, predatory gaze. 

Hayner, not suitably taken aback by this, reclined and smirked at him openly. 

“You are  _ so _ asking for it,” Seifer growled. He advanced upon the tease, turned on even more by the amused challenge surfacing in his brown eyes. 

He spread some of the lube on his fingers, so he could properly prepare his lover, then leaned forward to bite Hayner’s neck sharply.

“Ahhh!” Hayner gasped. 

Seifer smiled winningly at him, and proceeded to bite him several more times. 

“Ow, Seifer…. quit it,” he laughed, pushing at him, as the miscreant followed the bites with soft, teasing lips. His protests went unheeded, Seifer’s broad shoulders not budging an inch and the thug’s light blond hair was tickling his chest. Somewhere along the way, the slight pain inflicted by teeth and the warm pleasure of lips and tongue were getting intertwined. They melded together, deliciously complex, sending fresh desire pulsing through his aching flesh. He bit his lip to cut off the mewl that threatened to breach his mouth.

“Serves you right,” Seifer grinned. 

He stretched his younger partner methodically. The whimpers Hayner made were sending him into a frenzy, each hushed noise pulling at the tightness in his gut till he thought he’d explode. 

“Come here,” he said, sitting back on his heels when he’d finished. He pulled Hayner up onto his knees and stared at his lithe perfection. His brown eyes were half hidden by lowered lids and smoky dark with lust. Seifer’s heart was pounding frantically in his chest as Hayner came to him. “Closer,” he murmured huskily, “I want you to straddle me.” He wasn’t sure the blond would go for it, but it was worth a try.

Hayner tentatively moved to do so, with only a brief hesitation, a bright flush visible on his cheeks.

He put his hands on Hayner’s hips as he flicked his tongue over a nipple. He felt a jolt go through the blond’s body. He sucked on it with varying intensities, wandering away periodically to nip at the smooth skin of Hayner’s chest, until the boy was suitably distracted. The blond’s legs were trembling, their strength leaving them. 

Seifer placed Hayner’s arms around his neck, holding him in a loose embrace. “Lower yourself onto me,” he said unsteadily. He helped guide him down, sinking inside of him and catching the blond’s lips with his as soon as they were in reach. 

Hayner panted into his mouth, clinging tightly to Seifer as the discomfort subsided.  _ Another time, another weird position,  _ he thought with vague amusement. But it was more intimate this way. Seifer held him in a gentle embrace, a hand skimming calmingly over his back. Something about it made him feel warm inside… cared for… It made him smile.

Seifer buried his face in Hayner’s neck, shakily breathing him in. They were as close as two people could be, and yet he wished there were some way to take it further. Some way he could reach inside to brush against the essence of him. 

The thought was a foreign one- one that made him want to stop analyzing the feelings that kept cropping up so persistently now. He felt Hayner’s hands cradle his face, lifting it to a tender meeting of lips. 

He moved his hips upward, his body flashing with heat as Hayner rocked to meet him. He tried to cast the thoughts away as they thrust against each other, to focus only on the riot of pleasure overloading his senses. But some fragile thing deep inside of him was shaking loose. He was dangerously close to admitting something that might have a profound effect on everything. 

Hayner moaned deeply as he came, his body rigid and arching, pulling them tightly together with clawed hands. They dragged wonderfully down his back, as the blond’s body forced his release from him. Seifer gasped, as it throttled through him, clutching the blond tightly as he rode it out.  _ I think I love you, _ Seifer thought at him before they collapsed.     

* * *

Hayner was woken by the steady beat of a heart sounding in his ear. Or maybe it was the infernal twittering of that damn bird outside.

They had fallen asleep like this last night- exhausted, sated, arms wrapped around each other. Hayner’s skin shivered itself into goose bumps, the fan still whipping the air coolly around the room. Not only had they fallen asleep on top of the sheets and comforter, they were facing the wrong way. Feet on pillows, heads at the foot of the bed, resting on nothing. Except, Hayner’s head was resting on the older boy’s chest, which was why the pulsing heartbeat was so loud.   He hugged Seifer closer, trying to utilize his body heat to keep warm. Light was streaming through the un-curtained window, still pale, but gathering strength. 

“Hey,” Seifer said quietly, rousing him from the half-sleep he’d drifted into.

“…hmn,” he inquired.

“You have a shower on this floor, don’t you?”

“…yeah.” Hayner blinked sleepily.

“Great.” Seifer climbed out of bed, searching for his boxers. Hayner rolled over, intent on going back to sleep.

Something made of cloth hit him in the head just before he achieved unconsciousness. He reached a dexterity challenged hand to his head, pulling the thing off and holding it up to unfocused eyes. Blue. Blue, and recognizable. His boxers. Great. Hayner promptly flung them away and tucked his arms between him and the bed, huddling for warmth as he tried to settle back into sleep.

“Shower,” Seifer insisted.

“Go ahead,” Hayner mumbled. “I’ll take one later.”

“Won’t that seem suspicious? ” he prodded. Two showers in the morning? The Grandma was swift. She’d notice. 

“Nn.” Hayner apparently was too tired to care. Or maybe he was always like this in the morning. Cute, rumpled, and unintelligible.

He hooked an arm around Hayner, pulled him to the edge of the bed, and hoisted him into his arms. “You’re coming with me.” 

He carried the weight easily, despite the sleep-deadened limbs swinging freely and awkwardly. 

“Whadaya doing?” the blond mumbled in protest, unaware of his impending doom. 

Seifer made an effortless beeline for the shower.  

Seifer got closer and closer to the bedroom door. Hayner squawked and frantically flailed as understanding finally dawned upon him. He was now both naked  _ and _ wide awake, being carried bridal style to where his Gran might  **see** them. “What are you doing!” he hissed, the door looming menacingly before them. “Put me down!” 

Seifer reached for the doorknob, a devious smirk on his face. 

Hayner hid his own face against the thug, a dismayed sound riding on his exhale. That Nanna might see them like this if they left the room didn’t even bear thinking about.

Seifer’s forearm rotated as he twisted the knob and the door creaked open cautiously.

“Hayner, dear,” Thelma called faintly. “Can you come down here a moment, now that you’re awake?”   

Hayner went rigid. He then beat his way out the miscreant’s grasp, which was easy since Seifer let him go immediately, and made a spectacular dash for his shorts. He tread as lightly as possible, knowing that she’d be suspicious if she heard him running about. He pulled on the camo shorts, fastening them as he made his way back. He ran his hands twitchily through his hair, trying to calm the disarray he knew was upon the wavy mess.  

Seifer grabbed his arm, a serious look on his face. “You’re not going down there?”

“Well, what am I supposed to do?”

“Hayner,” he said. “If you go down there, she’ll know.” 

“Not necessarily…”

Seifer looked at him balefully. “You look guilty, smell like sex, and suck at lying. It’s a done deal.”

Hayner turned red. “Do you have to be so crass about it?” he said with annoyance.

“Hayner?” Thelma called out again.

“I’m just being realistic,” Seifer replied. “Now tell her you were just about to get in the shower, and you’ll come down after.”  

Hayner pulled his arm out of Seifer’s grip, and poked his head around the door. He couldn’t see her. “Nana,” he called, “I was just about to take a shower…” he tried to put some petulance in his tone, to indicate his desire to not be interrupted from his intent to cleanse. “Can’t it wait?”

“Sure, dear, that’s fine.” She must be in the kitchen. “I just wanted to tell you that Pence called a little while ago, and somebody named Bo called for you the other day.” Ah, post-grounding messages. He hadn’t noticed the phone ring this morning though.

“Thanks, Nanna, I’ll be down later.”

“Call Pence back now, if you can… he said it was important.”

“Okay.”

Hayner sagged against the doorframe, turning a half-hearted glare on Seifer. “Being with you is gonna give me a heart attack.” He took a deep breath, and grabbed for one of the thug’s crossed arms. “C’mon, she’s in the kitchen.”

They passed the top of the stairs, the only part of the landing that was readily visible from below, without incident. Hayner indicated the bathroom to Seifer as he went to the small kitchen at the end of the little hall. The bay window was ablaze with light, making him wince. 

He quickly turned his back and grabbed the portable phone from its cradle on the wall, just inside the doorway. The floor was slightly gritty beneath his bare feet, attesting to the room’s lack of use. He kept the phone in here, instead of in his room, as it had a tendency to ring when he was trying to sleep.

It was a pleasant room, small, but somehow airy. The window took up most of the back wall, transparent white curtains framing its length. A large dark-wood hutch took up the bulk of the wall on the left, less imposing for its old wood-framed glass doors which allowed the light from the window to pass through its bulk. The sink and stove shared the same wall as the phone, being directly to his left. The pantry was across from the hutch, just past a solid four-seater dark wood table that seemed to take up much of the room with its old world feel. The walls, what could be seen of them, were a tired light blue. 

It used to be Nanna’s favorite room, when she still used this floor, and now it was Hayner’s. He felt bad about not cleaning it, but he wasn’t home all that much and cleaning was not at the top of his list when he was.

He dialed Pence’s number and shuffled to the bathroom as it rang. He leaned on the wall just outside, not wanting to suffer the echoing of the tiled room. 

“Hello?” Pence answered.

“Hey, you called?”

“Oh, yeah, I was wondering if you’ve heard from Roxas lately? I was trying to get a hold of him the past few days…”

“Er. Yeah, I talked to him the other day. He’s not answering his phone lately though, so I’m gonna go by his place to bug him today. What did you need him for? I can relay the message when I see him.”  _ Yeah,  _ **_if_ ** _ I see him.  _ He tried to make light of it all, despite his own concern. No need to drag more people into this. If Roxas was having a hard time over something, the whole world didn’t need to know.

“Okay, that’s cool. Olette is having a violin recital in a couple days, and Roxas is the only friend I’ve got who doesn’t mind stuff like that, so I wanted to extend an invite.”

Hayner grinned. “Going to support your new girrrrlfriend, is it? Though you’ve been going to those for a while now, and letting her drag you shopping, and-”  

“Shut up, Hayner.”

“You’re so whipped.”

Pence sighed. “I know.” 

“Listen, I gotta go. But we should hang out again soon. You guys have been pretty absent the last couple of weeks.”

“Straight. It can be soon, since Olette’ll have some time free after this thing.”

They said their goodbyes and hung up.

Hayner pushed off the wall and entered the bathroom, setting the phone down on the counter. Seifer stopped pacing.

“Done?” he asked.

“Yeah, it was no big thing,” Hayner said, closing the door.

“Aren’t you going to return your other call?”

Hayner looked up at the veiled sharpness in his tone. “Other…” He wracked his brain. OH. “Bo?” He’d forgotten that he’d even given the mohawked guy his number. He made a face, remembering the awkwardness in the hardware shop. ‘ _ Let me make it up to you…’   _  “He can wait.” It had probably been the party-invite call.  

Seifer was giving him an unreadable look again.

“What?”

“Why does he have your number?” There was a definitely a thread of menace working its way through those words.

“Why not?” Hayner replied defensively. “He’s a friend… sorta.” He trailed off as Seifer stalked towards him. 

“Can you honestly believe that, after that time at the beach?” he growled. 

“Y-you saw that?” he stammered. 

“Of course I did. I couldn’t miss it.”

It was bad enough that it happened. In public. But he hadn’t thought anyone had  _ seen _ . He closed his eyes, trying to shut out the unwanted memory of groping hands and a solicitous voice. Come to think of it, Seifer  _ had _ been looking at him after that.

“ _ Hayner. _ ” Seifer’s voice was sharp as he gripped his shoulders and shook him. Hayner found it hard to meet the intensity in those light eyes. “ _ Why does he have your number _ ?” he repeated. 

He knew Bo wanted to get in good with Hayner. Hell, he knew Bo  _ wanted _ Hayner. And he seemed devious enough, determined enough, that this could become a problem. Especially, if Hayner didn’t see it coming. Or… if he was interested. 

Seifer clenched his teeth. He couldn’t afford jealousy or anger, and trying to control this situation would only make it worse. Most of all, it would say that he didn’t trust Hayner. 

“I ran into him and Zane at the hardware shop the other day,” Hayner said around the tightness in his throat. Why did he feel like he’d been caught doing something bad? He hadn’t done anything! 

“I wasn’t going to talk to him after the beach thing, but Zane sent him to help me find the tape,” he muttered awkwardly. “Bo brought the incident up and apologized profusely over it. I said it was okay, to forget about it.” He rubbed a hand over his arm, feeling on edge. “I mean it wasn’t really okay,” he amended, “but he seemed sincere.” He looked up at Seifer, sort of trying to gauge where things were at. “As I was leaving, they mentioned a party or something, and asked for my number so they could get a hold of me later.”

“Bo is the one that asked for it, wasn’t he?” Seifer guessed.

“…” 

“And he’s the one that took it, in the end?” Seifer prodded.

Hayner slowly nodded. “… now that I think about it, yeah.” What was he getting at? He watched a flicker of something spark briefly in the pale blue eyes. Something that didn’t match the anger in his voice, or the irritation on his face.

“I won’t try to tell you who you can and can’t see,” Seifer said stonily, “or who you should be friends with…” he paused, seemingly caught up in some kind of internal battle. A frown was etching itself onto his face, his fingers tightening on Hayner’s shoulders. He cursed under his breath. “Just-” their eyes met. “Watch yourself around him.” 

Seifer let go of the younger boy and turned to the shower. He slid his boxers off and kicked them aside.  _ Goddamn fucking Bo. _ He was stealthily moving in on Hayner, and the boy was too naïve and trusting to realize it. Though it had been those exact qualities that had given Seifer his opening. If the timing had been different, would Hayner be with Bo now, instead of him? 

He knew now how he really felt about the blond… but just what was he to Hayner?

* * *

TBC


	10. Evil Nanna

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.
> 
> Note - this takes place immediately after the last chapter.

* * *

****_ Chapter 10: Evil Nanna _

Hayner was perplexed. He didn’t know what to make of the last 10 minutes. He stood there, unmoving, as the water in the shower turned on.  _ Had _ he done something wrong? He slowly slid off his shorts, stalling, now very daunted at the thought of joining the irritated gang leader in the shower. Was he still expected to? Or expected  _ not _ to? 

_ Dammit _ , he wasn’t any good at this!

He let the frustration fuel him, and he stomped over to the glass door. He pulled it open and stepped inside, a scowl on his face. There was an abundance of steam billowing about the oversized, flat-floored shower, and the water that splashed him felt scaldingly hot. 

Seifer’s back was to him. He had one arm braced against the wall in front of him as he ducked his head under the spray. 

“You’re mad at me, aren’t you?” Hayner asked him bluntly. 

Seifer straightened, his arm falling to his side. “No,” he responded, turning slightly. The water, which was turning his skin a painful pink, spattered further back when he moved.

Hayner hissed as it hit him. Damn, it was HOT! “Then, are you mad at  _ yourself _ ?!” he exploded. “Because barring those two things, I can’t think of any other reason for you to try boiling us alive!”

Seifer reacted appropriately. Which was, to say, unexpectedly. He started to laugh. He started laughing so hard he backed into the tile wall for support. More water happily started to burn Hayner. 

“OW!  _ Goddamnit _ !” He dove for the knob that controlled the water temperature, frantically trying to cool it down. Suddenly, icy water was falling on his back. 

_ AHHHH!!  _ He recoiled, ducking as far as he could to the side to avoid the taciturn spray. Seifer was laughing helplessly on the floor by now, seemingly immune to the wildly fluctuating water. 

Hayner grabbed the knob again, enduring the numbing of his arm as he reached through the evil, icy streams to modulate the temperature. He breathed a sigh of relief when it became lukewarm. 

He stood over Seifer, managing to look as put out as he felt, even while his eyes roamed over the artfully sprawled body. Down his chest… up a thigh… He snapped his gaze up to a relatively safer location. The miscreant’s hair was messy, falling into his eyes and dripping water sexily. Smoke blue eyes caught his, intimately. 

He never did have an off moment, did he? Hayner thought with annoyance and admiration. Seifer managed to make everything he did look tantalizing, even sitting on the floor of a shower. 

Hayner crouched in front of him, studying his face carefully. “Have you snapped?”

“Maybe…” Seifer replied, slipping a hand up into Hayner’s hair and pulling him into a possessive kiss. 

Hayner even forgot about the water falling on his head as Seifer’s mouth melded to his, the thug’s tongue was caressing, hot-wet and insistent. Demanding. It sent desire snaking through him, curling snugly in his belly. 

“Tell me why you’re angry,” Hayner said when he’d managed to pull away. It was hard to do, and he wasn’t sure if he wasn’t regretting it already.

“I’m a possessive bastard.”

Hayner let out a sigh of exasperation.

Seifer half shrugged. “I’m trying not to be.” 

Hayner waved that away. “You’re jealous?” he said incredulously. “Of  _ who _ ? What competition could you possibly have?” 

Seifer remained silent.  

“Oh, for godssakes, you ass. Do you think I’d be like this with just anybody?”

“…”

“Say yes to that, and I’ll knock your teeth out.”

Seifer chuckled.

Hayner eyed him speculatively. “Geez, you’re awfully insecure for being a total thug,” he teased. “But I wouldn’t have wanted you to meet Gran if you weren’t important to me.”

“Does that mean you wouldn’t mind a quickie while we’re here?” he asked innocently, tugging Hayner close. 

“Seifer! We don’t have time for that!” He said that, but the offer was tempting. So was that hand sliding down his hip.

“Five minutes, tops,” he cajoled. 

“Well, if that isn’t a convincing argument,” Hayner deadpanned, “I don’t know what is.” 

“Well, damn.” Seifer got to his feet. 

He grabbed the bar of soap, while Hayner grabbed the shampoo, a thought already formulating in his mind as he worked the frothy bubbles across his skin. Good thing he’d already done his own hair before Hayner got in. 

He rinsed the soap languidly off his body, then moved to let Hayner under the spray. 

Hayner eased beneath the shower head, lifting his hands to rinse the eye-stinging suds from his hair. 

Seifer eyed him. It was that position again… upraised arms, taut belly, flexing chest. Last time he’d seen Hayner like this was the first night he’d slept over, after he’d just emerged from the shower, wet and glistening and rubbing a towel over his sodden hair. The ring, like then, was still on the chain around his neck. 

He’d almost jumped Hayner that time, when he’d called attention to the ring with a brush of his hand. He made the contact seem unintentional, but he’d really just been looking for an excuse to touch him. 

That small step forward had made it almost impossible to hold back, seeing all the little reactions flit over the blond’s face and the way his stomach clenched as he held his breath - brown eyes full of wary fascination. There was a magnetic pull between them…  it was dragging him under, eating away at his self-control, reducing his thoughts to  _ eyes… lips… skin… _ and  **_sex_ ** _. _

As soon as the blond closed his eyes, Seifer began trailing hands up the other boy’s chest, across his shoulders and down his stomach. With soap, of course. 

“Seifer-” Hayner warned.

“Hush, I’m helping you wash. It’s faster this way.” Not an out-and-out lie, but almost.

Once the shampoo was all rinsed out, Seifer pulled Hayner out of the spray. “I’ll do your back.” 

He worked up a good lather then set the soap aside, his now free hands gliding over the other boy’s back, sides, and lower. Down each leg and up the soft skin of each inner thigh. Massaging, kneading, stroking. If he wasn’t mistaken, he could hear Hayner’s breathing speed up. Oh, yes, he could be convincing when he wanted to be. 

He rose and pulled Hayner tightly back against him, out of the spray, his soapy hands sliding circles over his chest and down his stomach. “Be mine,” he whispered huskily into the blond’s ear as he gripped his arousal. 

Hayner tipped his head back, offering his lips and kissing him heatedly. 

Oh, how he wished there was time to ravish Hayner properly.

He eventually released the blond, turning him and pushing his back up against the cool tiled wall. 

Hayner groaned as Seifer pressed against him, wet heat trailing down his neck. “Five minutes?” he gasped. The water had been running for quite some time.

“More or less,” Seifer confirmed, his hand sliding around Hayner’s desire once more, pulling firmly. “Though I’d prefer to be inside you,” he breathed hotly into his ear, making him moan. 

_Just his voice,_ Hayner thought foggily. Just his voice, all rough and wanting, was nearly enough to- _No. Stop thinking about that or you’re gonna…_

“Gimmie the soap,” Hayner panted. 

Seifer produced it with his free hand. Hayner grabbed it, lathered his hands and tossed it to the back of the shower. Seifer followed the motion instinctively, so he was caught off guard when he felt Hayner’s hands on heated flesh. “Shit, Hayner,” he gasped. Who knew just hands could feel so good? Or maybe it was whom the hands belonged to? God, he was close already.

“Quit obsessing, okay?” Hayner murmured sexily, his hand emphasizing the words. “I only want  _ you _ .” Seifer wasn’t sure if he could believe those words, but his body reacted to the bold admission wholeheartedly. He latched onto Hayner’s lips like a lifeline, sucking at their sweetness as he came, Hayner shuddering sinuously against him. 

* * *

“Boy,” Thelma said, addressing Hayner.

He looked up from the mug he was currently washing out. She had made a fresh pot of coffee this morning and he jumped at the chance to avoid the instant stuff. That he didn’t relish the thought of using a flowery teacup went without saying. 

“That had to be the longest shower you’ve  _ ever _ taken,” she peered at him.

His eyes widened slightly and he whipped back around, suddenly extremely intent on the cleansing of his mug. He could feel the color rising in his cheeks, which he determinedly refused to acknowledge.

“Are you going to be seeing Seifer today?” she teased, noticing the blush. 

Thankfully she wasn’t guessing the truth, just a likely scenario - that he was taking loads of time to get ready for a date or something.  _ Yes, _ he thought,  _ I am just an innocent little kid, embarrassed and excited about getting to see my…  _ well, whatever it was that Seifer was to him. 

She sipped her coffee, knowingly. “I did tell him before he left that your grounding would only be for two days.” 

“He  _ knew _ ?!” Hayner blurted out in surprise.  _ He jumped me in the middle of the night, when he  _ **_knew_ ** _ he could see me in just a few more hours?! And then the thing in the shower, and - _

Thelma gave him an assessing look. Like an eagle, her eye was sharp and almost all-seeing. 

_ Aw, fuck. _

“Is there something you’d like to tell me?” A frown was dangerously close to forming on her face. 

_ Seifer, I swear to god, if you keep getting me in these situations…  _

“No, Nanna,” he said. This, he supposed, was the part where he sucked at lying and was found out. He had to turn this around. He poured some coffee with feigned nonchalance. “But is there something you want to tell  **me** ?” He felt like a bad actor. Surely he sounded like one. But he gave it his best shot, thinking about the secret kitchen conversation as he said it, throwing his curiosity and impatience into it.

She gave him a questioning look. That was progress anyway. 

“What did you two talk about that day?” he rounded on her, coffee in hand. He slunk into the chair across from her, leaning forward intently. Hey, maybe he could find out what they said after all! He felt a grin pulling back over clenched teeth. 

“Oh, stop it, you little beast, I can’t tell you.” Affection and amusement were crowding her eyes, and she took another long sip from her teacup to prevent a smile.   

“C’mon, Nanna!” he pleaded. “You even told him you were grounding me! That’s not fair!”

“He can tell you, if he wants,” she drawled. 

She seriously doubted he would though. Mainly she had put the older boy on the spot about how he felt and he hadn’t seemed too pleased to dredge it up. He undoubtedly wasn’t ready to admit anything to Hayner, when he could barely admit it to himself. 

It was really cute though, when she caught him off guard. He lost a bit of the cool confidence and wary politeness. Of course, as soon as he recovered, he bristled and was defensive - but he reverted into a more natural behavior afterwards. She smiled.  _ Oh, it was too fun _ .     

“Ugh. He won’t tell me squat. He’ll just taunt me with it, I’m sure.”

“Ah, young love,” she sighed, teasing just to get a reaction. 

“Nanna!” Hayner sputtered, as he jumped up, nearly knocking his coffee over. 

They both had an affinity for that, it seemed.

Hayner tried to get coherent words to leave his mouth, but it just wasn’t happening. He wasn’t equipped to be teased about this so early in the morning. Especially when Seifer was still here… and they’d only just… He flushed.

Thelma smiled.

He fled to his room.

She leisurely sipped her coffee, the rich aroma floating around the kitchen pleasantly. They were both just adorable.

* * *

“Seifer?” Hayner called in a hushed voice. He hadn’t been in his bedroom, so Hayner went further down the hall. The bathroom was empty as well, but there were the thug’s boxers, still on the floor. Hayner paused. He didn’t remember seeing clothes on his bedroom floor though. He went back to check. No, at least- they weren’t anywhere he could see them.

The phone rang while he tried to figure this out. Maybe the kitchen room?

“Hayner, phone!” his grandma called out sweetly. “It’s  _ Seifer _ .” She almost cooed the name, laughter evident in her voice as she teased him mercilessly.

He grabbed the phone from the bathroom counter. How was he getting a call from the thug? Wasn’t he already here? “Hello?” 

“Yes dear, and you just stop by anytime, ok?” Nanna was speaking on the line.

“You bet.” That was Seifer. 

_ You bet….? Yeah, you already made good on  _ **_that_ ** _ , didn’t you, you tricky bastard? _ “Nanna, get off the phone.” 

“I’m going, you wretched boy,” she said lightly.

He could hear Seifer chuckle softly in the background.

“Just let me know before you go out, ok?” she added.

“Yes, yes, fine. I will. OFF.” Hayner grit his teeth. She was playing this up way too much. He’d never known she had such an evil streak.

“Ok, bye dears,” she twinkled, followed by a click.  

They shared a long moment of silence.

“Wow,” Seifer said. “Has she been like that all morning?”

“Since I went down, yes.”

“You must’ve improved your evasion skills,” he mused, “since she doesn’t sound like she wants to gut me yet.”

“I’m working on it, no thanks to you,” Hayner ground out. He blinked. “Speaking of which, where the hell are you?”

“At my house. I slipped out while you were in the kitchen.”

“She almost figured it out.”

“Good thing I’m calling then, it solidifies my alibi.”    

“So, when are you coming back?”

“In a little bit, I just need to change and take care of a few things.”

Hayner felt a smirk pulling at his mouth.  _ I just bet you do. _ “So, how’s it feel to go commando? I notice you left your boxers on my bathroom floor.”

There was a muttered curse on the other end of the line. “I couldn’t remember where I’d left them, and I didn’t know how long you’d be distracting her.” Seifer switched tracks. “So how did that go exactly?” 

“Ugh,” he replied. “Better than I thought, but she was almost onto me a few times. You need to give me some pointers.”

“We’ll see.”

“You’re still coming with me to Roxas’ right?”

“…”

“What’s the silence for?”

Seifer sighed. “You don’t think he’ll guess?”

Hayner furrowed his brow. “What, that we’re… together?”

“Yeah.”

“Maybe. But that’s not – ”  _ what I’m worried about, _ he finished silently. He was mostly afraid that Roxas would see him differently, that he wouldn’t be ok with it. 

He latched onto Seifer’s cryptic hesitations just now, trying to read between the lines. A sinking feeling was pouring into him. “We…” he chewed his lip. “We’re not telling anyone, are we?” 

“We can’t.” 

He’d suspected as much, but it still hurt. It was sharp and twisting. 

Something must have made it through the empty silence, because Seifer was starting to speak. “You remember that fight you saw?”

Hayner made a noncommittal noise. 

“It was because of you.”

“Wha- ?” _ About me?  _

“I wasn’t kidding when I said you’d be targeted. And that was  _ before _ .” He sounded frustrated. “It’s better no one knows about this. I don’t want to put you in any more danger.”

“How was it about me?” he asked quietly.

“It- ” Seifer sighed explosively, and Hayner could practically see him running a hand through his hair. “It was just some punks trying to get one up on me, by threatening you. I guess they noticed you were around me a lot, and they assumed a bunch of shit.”

“What were they going to do?” Hayner couldn’t keep the tightness out of his voice. Whatever it was had been bad enough to throw Seifer into a homicidal rage.  

“I’m not telling you that.”

“C’mon,” Hayner pressed unreasonably, not sure if he really wanted to hear it.

“Drop it, Hayner,” came the harsh reply.  “You don’t need to know.”

“So, you nearly killed four people, for me?” he laughed weakly. “I want to say that’s sweet, but from where I was, it was pretty disturbing.” That was putting it lightly. 

“What was I supposed to do?” He sounded angry and defensive. “It’s all they understand.”

“I don’t know,” Hayner said dully.

“I’m sorry if you disapprove,” he ground out, “but I wasn’t going to let them lay their hands on you.” He took a breath, continuing so low that Hayner had to strain to hear the words. “And if I really had to kill them, I’d do that for you.”

Hayner clenched the phone hard. His stomach was lurching sickly. Hadn’t his father said something like that to his mother all those years ago? 

He lowered himself to the floor, feeling dizzy. But it wasn’t the same… his father couldn’t stand when she talked to  _ anyone _ . He was so jealous and paranoid by the end- he’d threatened to kill everyone around her, if only to keep her with him. She took their son and left when he was at work one day. It tore her apart, since she still loved him so much. But she’d been afraid he might hurt Hayner, or herself even, if things continued. 

“Hayner?” It sounded like that wasn’t the first time Seifer had said his name.

“Yeah,” he answered thinly. It wasn’t the same, right? His father was a whack-job, irrational, unstable. Seifer was completely sane and was just trying to protect him the only way he knew how.  

“Stay there. I’m coming over.” 

Hayner stared at the red light on the phone minutes after the dial tone was audible, lost in thought. 

* * *

Seifer rang the doorbell on the quaint little house Hayner called home.

He hated waiting. 

The door opened eventually, and it was Thelma who greeted him and ushered him inside. “Well that was fast,” she commented conversationally. “You only just called a little while ago.”

He pasted a smile on his face. “It was a short conversation,” he lied. “We were just deciding when to meet and where we’ll be going.”

“You can go on upstairs, his room is the first door on the left.”

As if he didn’t know. “Thanks.”

“Hayner?” he called, announcing his presence as he reached the top of the stairs.

“I’m in here.”   

Seifer nudged the bedroom door open, not sure what to expect. Hayner had sounded so strange and distant by the time he’d hung up.

The blond looked up as he entered the room. He was sitting on his bed, a rather large hardcover book balanced on his lap. 

“A little light reading?” Seifer inquired. He sat on the bed, still trying to gauge the situation. 

“The Lovecraft mythos. Monsters, crawling chaos, the end of the world, and other weird stuff in a bunch of short stories. Pence swore it was good, and lent me his copy.”

“What do you think?” Seifer reached out, tipping it back so he could see the cover. It really was a hefty book. He wondered if this was a collection of everything the guy ever wrote.

Hayner tilted his head in consideration. “It’s strange, ominous, and gripping...” He grinned. “I think I like it.”

Seifer lay back on the bed, lacing his hands behind his head. Hayner seemed fine, but he just didn’t know him well enough yet to know if it was a cover. He stared at the ceiling with a frown on his face, debating whether or not to say anything. “Are you ok?” he finally asked, without looking at him. 

He heard the blond sigh and close the book. “I’m fine.”

“You weren’t fine a while ago.” Seifer looked up. The blond was facing him, but looking away. There was a faintly unsettled air about him.

“I know. I sorta have some family issues that crop up now and then. Certain things set it off.” He shrugged uselessly, eyes flitting back to Seifer. “I get over it pretty quick.”

“I see.” Family issues. Who doesn’t have those anymore? He propped himself up on an elbow, waiting patiently for the other boy to continue. A full minute must have passed.

Hayner looked at him.

He looked back.

“Are you going to enlighten me?” Seifer asked when additional commentary was not forthcoming. “Or are we going to sit here and stare at each other?”

“Um… I’d rather not.” Hayner looked at him uncertainly, as if he thought Seifer was going to get mad over his refusal. His body was tensing and his brows drew together. His calm was ebbing.

“Don’t give me that look.” Seifer murmured. “It’s up to you if you tell me anything.”

“But-”

He stared, unyielding, into wide brown eyes.  “Hayner, give me a little credit.” I’m not going to force you. Is that all you think of me?

The blond looked chagrined. 

Seifer got up off the bed and stretched. He turned then, extending a hand to Hayner, a slight smile on his face. “C’mon runt. Don’t we have to go visit your runty little friend?”

Hayner took his hand, allowing the miscreant to pull him up. It was warm. Reassuring somehow. “Yeah, jerk,” he said without a trace of hostility. 

Standing next to him now, Hayner dipped his head, rested his forehead against Seifer’s chest. “Thanks,” he mumbled. He felt an arm wrap around him, squeezing lightly.

“Anytime, brat.”

* * *

Knock knock.

Knock knock knock.

…

_ Knock knock-knock-knock Knock knock!! _

Roxas groaned, cramming the pillow over his head.

…

KNOCK! KNOCK!

He jumped. What the hell were they beating the door with, a battering ram?! He sat up woozily, throwing his pillow to the foot of his bed. This was now at the top of his list for worst ways to be woken up.

“Go away!” he shouted from his room, hoping whoever it was would do just that. What time was it anyway? He looked around blearily, trying to locate his battered alarm clock. A glowing red number peeked forlornly from underneath a discarded shirt. It was noon? 

“Alright Roxas, you open this door right now, or I’m breaking in.” Hayner called from outside.

Hayner? Wasn’t he still gofering or whatever?

“You don’t know how,” he called back amusedly. He found a shirt to put on and made his way to the door. 

“Ok, Seifer, do it.” He heard Hayner’s muffled voice.

“Wait, hang on!” Visions of busted glass and torn down doors filled his mind. He threw the lock, and flung the door open, heart racing. 

Hayner was standing with his arms crossed, looking smug. Seifer was there too. He was lounging against the railing, looking bored.

“Er...” Roxas said, feeling ridiculous. 

“You dip,” Hayner said. “We would’ve picked the lock, not smashed up your place.” 

Hayner made to move past him, to go inside. “Hey, wait- ” Roxas tried to discourage him, but Hayner promptly sidled past him and into the apartment. 

“Ah… won’t you come in?” Roxas offered belatedly. He nodded at Seifer and went back inside, leaving the door open. 

“Roxas,” Hayner said, taking a swig of an appropriated coke he’d heisted from the fridge. “You look like shit.”

“Well, thanks. I feel like shit. What the hell are you doing waking me up like that?” he grumbled.

“Why are you still sleeping at noon?” he returned.

“I dunno,” he said, getting distracted as he watched Seifer milling about. “Maybe I’m tired?”

Roxas glanced back and forth between him and Hayner, noticing a sort of synergy. Was it just him, or was there a  _ vibe _ ? 

He continued bickering with Hayner, but his attention was on he and Seifer. They weren’t really any different than normal. Seifer still emanated boredom and recklessness, from where he was on the other side of the room. Hayner was Hayner. Loud, volatile, fun. And today, concerned. 

“You want anything to drink?” Roxas asked Seifer while Hayner was going on about food or video games or something. “There are cokes in the fridge, as my  _ friend _ so quickly discovered.” He put extra emphasis on the word friend, as if using the term loosely, knowing it would get a rise out of Hayner. 

“Sure.”

“Hey! You make it sound like I don’t buy half of them, you punk!” 

Seifer watched the exchange for a moment, then turned towards the kitchen.

Roxas caught Seifer’s expression, as he went to get a soda. It was brief, but he could have sworn he saw the veil of boredom drop down at the last second, uncovering genuine amusement as his eyes fell on Hayner. Interesting.   

He gave Seifer a calculating stare when he came back and sat on one of the random foldout chairs in the living room. Seifer had chosen to keep his distance from Hayner this whole time. There was nothing incriminating with that, and yet, he was  _ sure… _

Seifer glanced up, catching the unspoken question in Roxas’ darker blue eyes. He didn’t miss the way they flit subtly to Hayner and back.

Roxas quirked a brow.  _ Are you two…together? _

Seifer’s expression gave nothing away. However, he nodded infinitesimally before taking a swig of coke.  _ Yes, you nosy bastard.  _ There was no point in denying it if he’d figured it out already.

Roxas’ eyes widened.  _ Really? When did this happen? _

(Hayner, of course, was being carefully kept out of this silent communication.)

Seifer shrugged.  _ Recently. _ He glanced at Hayner, then back at Roxas, and shook his head. There was a warning look in his icy eyes.  _ Don’t say anything. It isn’t out in the open. _

Roxas nodded and smiled bemusedly.  _ No problem. But, damn, you move fast. _

* * *

TBC


	11. Dissolution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

_ Chapter 11: Dissolution _

“So, what’s been bothering you, Roxas?” Hayner asked at last.

It had been several hours since Seifer left.

After seeing the wreck of a human being his friend had become, Hayner decided he shouldn’t be left alone. He needed to make sure he was eating, and taking care of himself. The dark circles under his eyes, slightly sunken cheeks and his overall gauntness spoke volumes. Whatever this was due to, it was hitting his friend harder than anything else ever had.

Hayner had patiently held back that question while he tried to distract Roxas from whatever torment he was going through. They’d been playing video games for the better part of the time.

He was also able to entice Roxas into eating a little, but only because he acted like the food was for himself. He sat the plate on the floor between them as they played and encouraged his friend to share. Roxas seemed only to eat some of it out of habit. It was worrisome- the other boy had no appetite.

By now, they were hanging out in Roxas’ room. Hayner was reading a comic book, lying on the bed, while the other boy leaned against the wall and stared vaguely at the ceiling.

“What makes you think there’s something wrong?” Roxas asked distractedly.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Hayner slipped his finger between the pages of the comic to mark his spot and regarded his friend with a serious expression. “There has been something off with you for a while now. For weeks.”

Startled, anxious blue eyes looked back. It was as if he’d uncovered a deeply buried secret.

“What, you think I didn’t notice? C’mon, Roxas, I’m your best friend. Of course I noticed. I just figured you didn’t want to talk about it.” He felt the heaviness in his own voice as he said that. _I just figured that you didn’t trust me. “_ But lately it seems to have gotten a lot worse and I can’t just leave it alone.”

Roxas drew his knees up closer to his body and rubbed his face with his hands. “I don’t really know what’s wrong with me,” he mumbled.

“You don’t trust me?” Hayner felt anger tremble into being at the unfairness of it, felt it crackling into his voice. “You’re falling apart, and you can’t even trust me enough to tell me _what’s going on_ ?” He tried to curb it, the emotion throttling into his words and the increasing volume, but failed. “What in the hell kind of _best friends_ is that?!” he yelled, jumping to his feet and slamming the comic onto the floor.

“Sit down,” Roxas said tiredly, rubbing his temples now. Hayner’s words had stabbed a new headache into being. “It’s not like that.”

“No! You tell me what the fuck is going on, or I’m outta here. For good.”

Roxas lost hold of his exhausted calm. “Goddammit, Hayner!” he shouted, flinging a pillow violently at his head. “I can’t tell you if I don’t know what the fuck is wrong with me!”

Hayner shielded himself with his arm, amazed at the force Roxas managed to put behind the fluffy object. Somehow, it’d even managed to sting a little as the cloth snapped against his arm. “That doesn’t even make any sense,” he replied testily.

“Well, it’s the truth,” Roxas bit out. “You wanna call off our friendship because I’m too fucked up to tell you what’s wrong with me?”

Hayner sighed angrily and sat back down. “Surely you know _something_?”

“All I know is that I have the attention span of a retarded gnat, my insomnia has flared up full force, I couldn’t care less about food, and this,” he pulled at the neck of his shirt, exposing the reddish mark on the skin there, “sends me into violent fits of depression.”

Hayner’s eyes got big and he scrambled across the bed to get a better look. He pulled Roxas’ shirt further back. “Who did _this_?” It was the mark he’d seen the other day that he’d thought, and now confirmed, was definitely put there by someone else’s mouth and teeth.

Roxas wouldn’t meet his eyes. He looked pained and a little ill.

“I don’t know. I can’t remember.” His words were so faint, Hayner had to strain to catch them. Each syllable was a broken breath, filled with torment.

How horrible must it be to know that someone had gotten that close to you, but to be unable to recall a face, a name, or even how or why it happened?  Now he felt wretched for getting angry earlier. “Roxas, I -”

“I’m sorry I didn’t say anything before,” Roxas cut him off. His voice sounded so hollow. “It wasn’t that I didn’t trust you, I just didn’t know what to say.”

“How about, ‘My best friend is a total jackass, but I might forgive him for that since he cares about me’?”

A ghost of a smile fluttered across Roxas’ face. “You _are_ a total jackass. But it’s one of the things I like about you.”

“You also like how I hang out with you even when you get all emo,” he said slyly.

“Hey! I am **not** emo!” Roxas protested. Their banter was putting some of the life back into him.

“Sure looks it to me. All you need now is some eyeliner.”

Roxas took a swing at him. “If I’m emo, than you’re bitchy.”

“What??” Hayner ducked skillfully and grabbed the arm, twisting it behind his friend’s back. “How can you _say_ that?” he lamented as Roxas snickered. Even emo sounded more dignified. “Hey, you! Explain yourself!” he demanded, twisting the arm more as Roxas started to laugh.

Hayner methodically poked him in the side, a known ticklish spot, just to make things difficult.

“You’re… so moody,” he gasped out, as he tried to evade the poking. “And you always… put your hand on your hip… when you get annoyed… ‘s so funny.”

“Yeah, whatever. At least I don’t – ” He got cut off by the ringing of the phone. He looked at Roxas. “Who’s calling _you_ ? I thought only I did that?” It was an exaggeration, admittedly, but he wasn’t gonna let that ‘bitchy’ thing slide so easily. It was **so** untrue.

Roxas slumped over, burying his head in a pillow. “Urgh. Make it stop.”

“Where’s the phone at?”

Roxas gestured vaguely behind him at the clothes-strewn floor.

“Gee, thanks.” Hayner hopped off the bed and tried to locate the phone by sound.

Roxas groaned melodramatically into the pillow, writhing as if in pain. “Oh, god, the noise!” he cried, in a muffled voice.

“Emo!” Hayner called over his shoulder. He batted aside a few t-shirts before finding it hidden under a pair of pants.

“Hello?” he answered.

“Hayner?” a voice he didn’t recognize was on the other line.

“Er, yes?” Who the hell would be calling him at Roxas’ place?

Roxas was sitting up now, a questioning look on his face. _Who is it?_

Hayner shrugged. _Dunno_.

“Hey, it’s Bo.”

How in the hell did Bo know he was here, let alone get Roxas’ number? “How did you know I was here?” How unnerving.

“I called your house, and the lady there said you were at a friend’s house and gave me this number.”

Oh. Well, that made perfect sense. _See, Hayner,_ he told himself, _he isn’t a stalker. You just read too much into things._

“Ah.” Hayner waved off Roxas’ curious looks. “So what’s up?”

“The party I mentioned? It’s tonight. You game?”

Hmn. Maybe it would be a good distraction for Roxas. Hell, maybe he’d meet someone that could take his mind off the phantom hickey and stuff. It was worth a try, right? “Can I bring a friend?”

There was a brief hesitation. “Sure.”

“Ok, I’ll go. When and where?”

Bo gave him directions and told him to show up sometime after 8pm.

“See you then,” Bo said smoothly before hanging up. The tone reminded him of the beach thing, and of jade green eyes fixated on him.

He shook his head. He had to admit, if he wasn’t with Seifer, he might’ve had some interest in Bo. Though before Seifer, the thought of being with another boy had never even entered his mind. He compared the two briefly in his head. Very quickly, he found himself reliving some of the more recent moments he and Seifer’d had together. Not only the sex, but other things too- their easy camaraderie, the openness with which they could act and speak, Seifer’s fierce desire to protect him. Just a mere thought of the thug, and his heart was beating faster. Everything about him seemed orchestrated to pull Hayner in, winding about him and never letting go. Bo may have been interesting, but he had _nothing_ on Seifer.

He turned to his friend, plastering a blithely fake grin on his face. “Guess what Roxas? You’re going to a party.”

“No I’m not.”

“I’m making you,” Hayner’s grin stretched, baring his teeth. “It’ll be good for you, you need to get out.”

“I hate parties. They make my skin crawl.”

“Well, I’m not going alone. Sei –“ he barely caught himself. _Seifer would get pissed if I went to a party of Bo’s alone._ That would’ve been an announcement of their relationship… and Seifer said he couldn’t tell anyone- not even Roxas. Dammit.

 _What about Seifer?_ Roxas wondered. He was sure that his friend was about to say something about the older boy. _Who’s keeping secrets now?_ he thought with amusement.

“I already said I’d go before,” Hayner said, trying to gloss over his near-mishap. “And I’m not leaving you alone to stew in emo-ness, therefore, you’re coming with me.”

Hayner tossed the phone back onto the floor and went to peer into Roxas’ closet. “You need to get off your ass and do some laundry. There’s hardly anything in here.”

“Who cares? I’ll just go in what I have on.”

Hayner looked aghast. “You look like you just rolled out from under a bus!” He looked at his watch. “We’ve got a little over two hours to get you presentable. Think it’ll be enough?” he quipped.

Roxas groaned. “I don’t wanna,” he said childishly, popping the pillow back over his head.

Hayner jumped on the bed and tried to pry it out of his hands.

Roxas was surprisingly strong for how sickly he currently looked. He clutched the pillow with fingers hooked like claws, as if his very soul were at stake.

They wrestled for possession of the pillow for a good twenty minutes.

“Give…it … up!” Hayner puffed. He must be out of shape if this was enough to make him winded. They were back in their original spots, only Hayner was sitting on Roxas’ chest, tugging uselessly at the edges of the pillow with tired arms.

“Get off, you’re heavy,” Roxas wheezed.

“Make me.”

“I’m too tired.”

“If that’s the case, then let go of the damn pillow.” Hayner yanked at it again for good measure.

“Then you’ll make me get ready for this stupid thing I don’t want to go to.”

“Fine, be that way.” Hayner pressed his hands down onto the pillow, shoving it tightly to Roxas’ face.

“Mn! Ffmng gmmit!” Roxas cursed unintelligibly, flailing to be free of the pillow now that it was cutting off his oxygen.

Hayner let up and Roxas flung the pillow off of his head, gasping for breath. “You… suck!” he panted, trying to make the room stop spinning.

Hayner got up and rolled off of the bed. He snagged one of Roxas’ arms, dragging him half over the edge, then he grabbed the edge of his friend’s shirt and tugged the wrinkled garment off. “How long have you been wearing this thing?” he asked as it got trapped on Roxas’ head.

“If wus onda flur- ” he garbled through the shirt. He lay limp as a wet noodle over the side of the bed, arms trailing, hair almost brushing the floor.

Hayner wrenched it free. “What?”

“Ow! I said, ‘It was on the floor’! I just grabbed the closest thing when you guys got here. I was worried you’d do some damage.” He glared at Hayner upside-down. His hair, remarkably, looked the same no matter what direction he was pointed.

The position he was in accentuated his ribs and concave belly.

“Rox, dude, look at your ribs! They totally stick out now.” Hayner leaned over him, and jabbed one or two for emphasis.

“Ah! Quit it, that tickles!”

“We need to feed you, son,” Hayner drawled. “But first, into the shower!” He hooked his arms underneath Roxas’ and hauled him to his feet.  He drug him to the bathroom door and shoved him inside. “I trust you don’t need help with the rest?”

Roxas grumbled.

“Great,” he said, pushing the door shut with his foot. He turned to the closet looking for something for him to wear.

* * *

“So, This is some guy you met at the beach, when you were with Seifer?” Roxas asked as they made their way to the party. “What kind of torment is that? I thought he was making you work and instead, he takes you to the ocean?”

Hayner shrugged. “Pretty much.” It was a really complicated story to retell, especially without mentioning his new relationship with the thug. Looking back, some things were now painfully obvious. The gofering thing was a total sham, even if he did do a bit of work in the beginning. “Wait, go left here.”

They reached the place without incident, though taking a wrong turn once, since Hayner had copied the verbal instructions down incorrectly.

“Pinecrest, Pinevalley, it was an easy flub to make!” he’d defended himself. “It’s not my fault they put them right next to each other!” It was amazing he remembered that much, considering his memory really sucked sometimes and he’d had to write down the directions _after_ he got off the phone.

“No, it’s your fault we’re _going_ to this thing.”

“Yes, yes it is.” Hayner had to admit - it was brilliant. He’d forgotten how much Roxas didn’t like parties like this, since they never went. But his friend’s discomfort at the prospect was overpowering the ephemeral torment that seemed ever-present in his eyes and manner, and that alone made this worth it. Even when they were joking around, it lurked underneath the shine in his eyes, as if waiting for a chance to drown him. It made Hayner wonder how bad it got when he wasn’t there to distract him.

They were standing in front of an odd styled building, almost like a towering H, tucked between some more traditional but slightly rough looking industrial apartment buildings. It was comprised of two rectangular, 3 story apartment buildings facing off across a fairly narrow gap strung with breezeways which couldn’t have been more than 10-12 feet across. Hayner couldn’t decide if it felt cozy or claustrophobic.

He could also make out the edge of a pool at the far end, its waters glowing like a phosphorescent jewel in the encroaching gloom, shouts and laughter echoing from the liquor-swilling crowd that swarmed it.

They passed through a black wrought iron gate at the entrance, then located the stairs. Hayner randomly picked the set at the right. These, too, were factory special. Their shoes clanged dimly on the metal grid steps, echoing in the grungy stairwell.

Hayner consulted his scribbled directions. “202.”

“Shouldn’t that be at this end?” Roxas said as he looked at the first door. “This one’s 224.”

“Er. Usually. Guess it’s at the other end here.”

Roxas looked up and down the hall, noting the spacing of the doors. “There aren’t twenty four units on this floor, that doesn’t make any sense.”

Hayner shrugged, and they started down the open hallway.

As they got closer to their intended destination, they noticed several open doors, music spilling out into the night and people milling about. Some were loitering on the breezeways, smoking and talking. A few were engaged in frantic lip-locks.  

“How are we supposed to know which unit it is, if the doors are open? We can’t see the numbers,” Roxas grumbled.

“It looks like this party is all over the place, so I doubt it matters. But, I think it’s probably the one on the very end.”

Roxas sighed forlornly.

“Buck up,” Hayner said, smacking him lightly in the chest with the back of his hand. “Maybe you’ll meet someone interesting.”

“What- are trying to off me on someone now?” Roxas said suspiciously.

“Nah.” Hayner grinned. “But try to give things a chance.”

Roxas followed him to the last door, feeling ill-equipped to handle something like this right now. Anxiousness was whipping around in his chest. He really wanted to just go home and lose himself to the blanketing oblivion of sleep. Hayner gave an encouraging smile before ducking inside. “How do you even know that’s the right apartment?” he said under his breath. He took a deep breath, cringing only slightly as he dove into the sea of people, noise, and smoke.

It was dark inside, with flashing lights and pumping music. It felt more like a nightclub than someone’s apartment. The smoke was laying a concealing haze over the room, smudging the edges out of existence. It had to be a fog machine… if it wasn’t, it would’ve been much harder to breathe. His depth perception was getting distorted, between the white wispy mist and the wandering beams of light.

People became nothing but dark silhouettes in fog, like trees in a forest. He looked down and couldn’t detect a floor, just more swirling white. The music was becoming faint to his ears and he felt isolated from this press of humanity. The space between their bodies stretched out, until he really started to wonder if he wasn’t lost in some fog-laden woods somehow.

A figure approached him through the blank whiteness, washes of color lighting his face and sliding off again, as the lone beams of light intersected his path.

Roxas had caught it out of the corner of his eye and he turned to face the person. They strode purposely forward, dressed darkly.

They stopped in front of him, staring through him.

“Who are you?” he asked in confusion. He was looking at… himself?

“Xavier,” the other boy said. He tilted his head. “Who are you?”

“Roxas.”

“That name sounds familiar…” he looked quizzical. “But I think I’d remember a face like yours.” He leaned forward, scrutinizing Roxas, touching a fingertip to his cheek as if testing to see if he was real.

Roxas squinted, intent on finding a difference in their appearances. It was hard to tell, but it seemed as if Xavier’s hair was a bit darker than his.  He was also slightly taller and looked a little older than him. Other than that, they looked almost identical. Even their eyes were almost the same color.

“Weird,” Xavier breathed, as he leaned back. “You from around here?” he asked.

“As far as I know, I’ve been here all my life.”

“C’mon, let’s get outta the middle of things here,” Xavier said, catching hold of his wrist and dragging him through the crowd Roxas was suddenly now aware of again. People pressed in from all sides, a din of voices, shouts, laughter and music, loud enough to feel, lapping like waves over him and through the room. He let the other boy pull him along, glad to have an anchor in the chaos.

There was a small bar setup in the corner of the room, next to the sliding glass door that led to the patio. Not much of a view, since there was another building so close, but you could see some of the pool area since this was the last unit on the floor. A couple of guys were sitting out there on patio furniture doing just that. One of them catcalled and shouted something across the distance to one of the pool goers, raising his beer in salute and laughing.

“Roxas, what’ll you have?”

“Huh?” Roxas turned his attention back to the bar.

“Drinks,” Xavier prompted. He was sitting one of the three stools in front of the counter. “What’ll you have?”

“Oh. I uh- don’t really drink.”

His doppelganger regarded him with surprise. “No shit?”

Roxas shrugged.

“Well, maybe you should start.” Xavier regarded him seriously. “You look like you have way too much on your mind.”

Maybe he was right. Maybe getting drunk would give him some manufactured peace, even if it was only for a little while. He settled onto a stool. “What do you suggest?”

“Rum and coke. Can’t go wrong with the Captain.”

Roxas didn’t know what he was talking about until he saw the bottle of rum. _Captain Morgan’s Spiced Rum_ it proclaimed. It had a Captain Hook-esque pirate bedecked in red, with a formidable hat and long curly black hair, posing jauntily on the front with a hearty grin.

The stand-in bartender made the drinks and plunked them down hurriedly, moving on to his next request. Xavier placed one in front of Roxas along with a small clear cup.

“What’s that?” Roxas asked, taking a sip of his drink. It had some bite, but it wasn’t bad at all. Not like he thought it’d be.

“For shots.” Xavier grinned. “You wanna get drunk fast, you start out with a couple of these.” He filled it to the brim with rum, having retained the bottle since the bartender had his hands full with the other people looking for inebriation. He then picked it up, tipping its contents and drinking them down in a single swallow. The shot glass was returned to the countertop with a solid _clunk._  “Ahhh!” he sighed exuberantly. He reached for the rum and refilled the glass. “Your turn.”

Roxas picked it up and followed the other boy’s example. All of a sudden, his throat felt like it was on fire, bringing tears to his eyes. The cup met the table with an even louder _CLUNK_ then before. He started to cough. It was vile.

“Thatta boy!” Xavier crowed, beaming at him. “First one’s the worst. Chase it with the coke.”

Roxas glared at him and took a swig of his rum and coke. Thankfully, it was suitable enough to banish the punch of the shot. “That was horrible,” he said accusingly.

“Now, now,” Xavier said, holding up his hands in surrender. “Just give it a minute or two and tell me how you feel.”

Roxas glared darkly at him.

“Why don’t you tell me more about yourself?” he suggested. “I have to admit, I’m curious. I’ve never had a look-alike before.”

Roxas sighed. “There isn’t much to tell. I do the typical. I skateboard, play video games, hang out with my friends. Speaking of which, I came here with my best friend, but I lost him when I got inside.”

“What’s he look like? I could keep an eye out for him.”

Roxas described Hayner to the best of his ability.

“He sounds familiar too,” Xavier mused.  “Anyway, I’ll let you know if I see him.”

“Thanks.”

“So, feel any better yet?”

Roxas was about to say ‘no’ when he realized that wasn’t the case. He felt more laid back than he had in weeks; the scrabbling feeling in his chest was cut to about half strength. It was still there, but now it was more manageable. “Yeah, actually.”

“Ready for another?” Xavier asked as he filled the shot glass.

“Sure.”

* * *

“Glad to see you made it.”

Hayner jumped when heard the voice in his ear. He spun quickly, finding himself face to face with Bo.

“Sorry,” the mohawked boy said with a smile. “Didn’t mean to startle you, but it’s so loud in here. I didn’t think you’d hear me otherwise.”

There was something in his manner that was sending warning signals off in Hayner’s brain. “Where’s Zane?” he asked, hoping to not have to be alone with Bo for too long. It looked like he’d been drinking.

“I dunno, where’s your friend?”

“I sorta lost him after we came in. I’ve been looking for him off and on the past two hours.”

“Wasn’t it intentional?” Bo asked offhandedly, his eyes belying his interest.

“Uh- not really,” Hayner said awkwardly. “Roxas hates parties. He’s probably gonna be mad when I _do_ find him.”

Bo smiled widely. “Now there’s a name I haven’t heard before.” He slid his fingers around Hayner’s wrist and pulled him closer. Bo’s thumb smoothed over the skin there and jade eyes were intent upon him. “Let’s go find him,” he said silkily, pulling Hayner along as he melted back into the crowd.    

Bo led him through the crowds, intense purple blue hair standing out even in this lighting, weaving around dancers and drinkers and nodding to people here and there as they went. Gracious host? His fingers felt like a brand on Hayner’s arm. Something about it bothered him.

They emerged on the outskirts of the throng at the start of a dark little hallway.

“I don’t think he’d be back here,” Hayner said after scoping the area. He didn’t like the looks of this.

“You never know, maybe he is.” Bo was moving forward again, pulling him along like a child.

A sudden thought struck Hayner. “I didn’t even tell you what he looks like.”

“There’s no need. You’ll know him when you see him,” Bo answered smoothly.

Hayner also noticed they were bypassing several rooms without looking inside. “Why aren’t we checking _those_ rooms?” he let the suspicion he was feeling enter his voice.

Bo laughed. “Ah, that’s because I already know who is occupying them.”

Something about that didn’t mesh. The purple-haired boy had been away from these rooms for long enough, the occupants could’ve changed. And, if he didn’t know what Roxas looked like…

“Not sure about this one though,” Bo said, pushing through a wooden door on the left. Hayner followed him in, being tugged through the opening by his captive arm. Was it possible Roxas _had_ found someone and was off getting busy with them? It would be awfully fast, but it was one of the reasons he’d brought his friend here to-

Hayner’s musings were cut off as he was pressed back up against the door, suddenly, a set of lips on his. His stomach dropped out.

Warm lips were working over his… he could feel the need behind their quick rough caresses.

His mind was a flurry of thoughts that were all going nowhere. _Shock/Confusion/Tension_

Taking advantage of his surprise, a tongue slipped boldly into his mouth as if it belonged there. Bo’s body pressed close, demanding more.

 _Dammit!_ Hayner thought helplessly. _Seifer was right. Again._

It wasn’t a bad kiss. It would’ve actually been quite good if it hadn’t been tying his stomach in knots. He reacted to it somewhat, but it felt **wrong** and the forced intimacy made his chest tighten in anger.

Hayner tried to move, only to find both of his arms pinned tightly against the wood door. He made a frustrated noise and his mind closed off, like a wall, refusing to let this stranger any closer.

Bo broke off the kiss, leaning back a little. “What is it?” he asked huskily, his eyes dark with lust.

“Get off of me,” Hayner ground out, trying to pull his arms free.

“But you’re not with anyone _are_ you?” Bo looked like he already knew the answer to that.

 _I’m with Seifer, asshole!_ That was what he wanted to say. But he wasn’t supposed to let anyone know about that. _Goddammit!_ He settled for a glare.

“Don’t be shy,” Bo said in a teasing voice. “I see the way you look at me.”

“Excuse me?” Hayner said incredulously.

“You’re attracted to me, admit it.”

“I thought you were interesting. As a _friend_ ,” he spat. “Just because I pay attention to you doesn’t mean I’m attracted to you!” Okay, maybe in the smallest sense of the word, he was. But being completely honest was not going to help him in this situation. Besides, just because he thought someone was somewhat attractive didn’t mean he wanted to get up close and personal. “Even if I was, you think that gives you any right to jump me?” he demanded.

“Aw, don’t be like that, Hayner,” Bo murmured. “I really like you…” His lips brushed teasingly up the blond’s neck.  “Give me a chance.”

It went against his anti-violence principle- but for a fleeting moment, having the body of a boy he barely knew pressed against him, Hayner wished Seifer was here so the thug could beat the shit out of him.

* * *

TBC

 


	12. Bittersweet

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.
> 
> And for the record, Xavier is not Sora. Nobody in my fic is skulking about under an alias. If Sora WAS in my fic, you can bet he’d be getting pwned by Riku. Heh heh heh. Because that is just how my mind works. ;)  
> \-------------------------  
>  **song for akuroku this chapter:**  
>  Saves The Day - "Tomorrow Too Late" on In Reverie  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2baIBw1MYo  
> i listened to this song on loop while writing all their stuff this chapter. omg this song is so fitting and the FEELS. T___T looooove it

* * *

_Chapter 12: Bittersweet_

“Get your hands off of me if you want them to stay attached to your body,” Hayner growled.

Bo seemed taken aback by the vehemence of his voice and his grip loosened. Hayner pushed him off roughly.

Bo fell back, allowing Hayner to create space between them. He raised his hands as if in appeal. “Whoa, what’s the issue?”

He gave Bo a look that could curdle milk. “I suppose this was your way of making up for the beach thing?” he snarled. “Nice.”

Bo looked perplexed. He made calming motions with his hands and uttered a few hesitant syllables that started to sound like excuses. “Hayner, listen I- ”

“BITE ME.” Hayner stormed out, slamming the door behind him. It hit the frame hard enough to bounce back open.

He was fighting the urge to do something brutally violent.

He got all the way down the hallway before he heard Bo come after him. “Hayner!” he called. “Hey- I’m sorry! Wait a second!”

Hayner ignored him, still seething. He was SO leaving. If Bo caught up to him, he was gonna lay him out in front of all these people.

* * *

“Hey Roxas, is that your friend, over there?” Xavier pointed across the room.

The fog had died down and he could see Hayner storming towards the front door. Someone was following him, running to catch up, even though they were buffeting people in the process. The guy with the purple mohawk had grabbed his arm, swinging him around. Now they were arguing. A good deal of the room’s occupants were watching the exchange.

“Yep, that’s him.”

“Well, that might be a problem.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

Xavier sidled over and whispered in his ear. “See those hostile-looking guys next to us in the white bandanas? They seem like they’re going to head his way.”

Roxas looked confused. “Why would they have a beef with him? I’ve never seen them before,” he whispered back.

“He knows Seifer, right?”

“Yeah…how’d you know?”

“I heard them mention something, and I realized that I’d seen your friend at a party Seifer’s people had recently. Plus, the guy he’s fighting with is the one that threw this party.” He put a hand on Roxas’ shoulder. “Maybe it’s best if you guys leave before something happens.”  He pushed Roxas forward and they waded towards the other end of the room.

* * *

“Would you just calm down!” Bo hissed.

“I AM CALM.”

“Everyone is watching this,” he said as quietly as he could and still be heard by the blond.

Bo looked frustrated, but Hayner did not feel moved to cooperate. “That’s your problem, not mine,” he shot back.

“Yeah?” he yanked Hayner towards him, turning them so his own back faced the crowd and the blond could see over his shoulder. “Well what about those guys in the white bandanas?” he whispered harshly in his ear. “Is there any reason they’d be out for your blood?”

Hayner peered over Bo’s shoulder and paled. If he wasn’t mistaken, a few of them were thugs from the street fight.

“Yeah,” Hayner finally answered. They were glaring daggers and inching  towards them through the crowd. “Because I know Seifer.”

“And that’s enough to get Dre and his gang after you?” Bo looked like he had a hard time believing that.

“Uh, yeah. I guess so,” Hayner said distractedly, wondering if they’d chase him if he ran. His heart was starting to pound roughly in his chest. There was only the one exit, as far as he could tell. Luckily, he was closer to it then they were.

“Why do you hang around him then?” Bo sounded bitter and a little possessive.

“Huh?” Hayner said automatically as he was pulled from his escape plan. But the words fell into his brain one by one even as he spoke, spiking his irritation further. Bo had no right to act possessive over him! Anyone hearing this would think there was something between them. It pissed him off. “What’s _that_ supposed to mean?”

Bo spoke over him. “They’re coming. What are you going to do?” he asked as if with only detached interest.

Hayner put a hand to his head. “Goddammit,” he muttered. Why did bad things always happen in clusters? He did _not_ need this right now.

Suddenly, Bo was in his personal space again. “Pretend that you’re _with_ me,” he whispered. His jade eyes were dilated like a cat’s, a thin green ring of color framing the darkness, filling Hayner’s vision. “They’d back off at that.”

Hayner blinked, hesitating. It was under the guise of help, but he was sure Bo was just trying to work the situation to his advantage.

Bo didn’t wait for an answer, apparently confident in his logical solution.

He quickly leaned in, capturing the blond’s lips, before he had a chance to argue, in a kiss that was unquestionably witnessed by half the room.

Hayner froze.

Kissed…… by a boy… In PUBLIC.

The violent urges he had been tamping down flared.

Hayner swung and caught Bo in the face with a solid right hook.

He felt his knuckles connect harshly with flesh and bone. He’d thrown his weight into it, giving it enough momentum to knock the other boy to the floor. He swayed on his feet, as he regained his balance, staring down at his offender.

Bo’s eyes were hard as he wiped at his mouth with the back of his hand. He stared back at Hayner, angrily. Hayner returned the look with an even angrier one.

Slowly, Hayner became aware of the sound of the crowd swarming back into his consciousness.

Hayner’s eyes snapped up and he realized what his impulsiveness was going to cost him. The bandana gang was coming for him. As if decking the host of the party had been some unspoken signal for them to attack, they surged forward. There were shouts as people in their path were cast aside.

“That’s Seifer’s bitch!” one of them yelled “Get him!”

“Shit!” he cursed, having momentarily forgotten about them. He cast about, feeling cornered, then made a break for the front door.

He buffeted quite a few people in his frantic dash, but without much incident. He burst through the door and ran towards the stairs.

* * *

“Come on!” Xavier said as he ran after them, pushing through the crowd.

Roxas followed his doppelganger in giving chase.

They avoided following too close, for fear of being seen and losing the element of surprise. Roxas found that Xavier had better stamina than he did, or maybe the alcohol they’d had didn’t affect him as much.

His legs felt rubbery and balked at the simple commands he gave them. He couldn’t keep up.

A few twists and turns, and suddenly Roxas lost sight of him.

He went back, thinking he made a wrong turn, but he couldn’t catch a glimpse of anyone.

His best friend, the thugs that were after him, and his newfound doppelganger drinking buddy... He’d lost all of them.

“ _Dammit_ , Hayner.”

* * *

Hayner ran like his life depended on it. For all he knew, it did.

The shouts that were once so close were getting farther away. Good thing he was a fair runner. But still, he could hear the pounding of feet on asphalt. He risked a glance and saw one of them still hot on his trail.

Hayner tried to concentrate on pushing himself forward. His breath was coming in gasps now, and his speed was slowing.

The tip of his shoe caught on uneven pavement, causing him to falter. He compensated, barely breaking stride - but it was enough. A hand gripped his shirt, snarling the fabric and yanking him off balance.

Hayner tried to roll the fall, but he crashed on the concrete rather spectacularly.

He sat up, disoriented, aching from his harsh landing. He could feel the abrasions that now adorned his body beginning to sting and throb.

He was wrenched to his feet by the front of his shirt. A fist slammed into his gut, making him double over. His stomach heaved.

Pain was searing his scalp as fingers clenched, tangling in his hair to tilt his head upwards.

“So this is the kind of face Seifer goes for?” the thug asked mockingly. His grip tightened, making Hayner wince.

“What are you talking about?” Hayner said hoarsely, playing dumb. He had never seen this guy before. He wasn’t one of the ones from the street fight, but the bandana marked him as being part of the same gang.

“I think you know _exactly_ what I’m talking about.”

Hayner stumbled as the guy roughly walked him backwards. He collided into the wall of the alley, his head knocking against it, making him see stars.

A hand reached under the neck of a shirt, pulling out the chain and ring that lay beneath.

“I know this is his. It was a warning to us not to fuck with you.” He yanked the chain, snapping it sharply against Hayner’s neck and held it up. The ring twisted on the chain, hypnotically. Swiveling to the left, slowly turning right. The dark-haired thug smiled hatefully. “But this is what I think of his warning,” he said as he threw it aside.

Hayner watched the silver wink and flash in the streetlights as it scuttled over pavement and into shadow, feeling his chest constrict.

“Are you just his bitch?” He wrenched Hayner’s head to the side, breathing against his neck, his ear. “Or would you service anyone if you were given the proper incentive?”

Hayner rolled his eyes to meet the thug’s. “Fuck you,” he spat.

“Cute, real cute.” The thug smiled and cuffed him in the head, bringing him to his knees. A series of kicks to the abdomen, and Hayner was coughing heavily against the dry heaving of his stomach.

He was hauled to his feet again and pushed against the wall, a hand around his throat. “Uugh,” he groaned as his head spun dizzily. “What the fuck do you want?”

“Maybe I want to see what Seifer sees in you,” the gang member said coldly. He leaned in close, his face only inches away. “See what it is about you that makes it worth nearly killing several of us.”

“I had nothin’ to do with that,” Hayner protested weakly through the nausea.

He felt a hand slip under his shirt, nails scraping cruelly up his chest, fingers twisting a nipple until he cried out from the pain.  “Do you think he’ll lose it?” the dark-haired thug sneered mockingly. “If he knows someone has defiled his property?” He slid his hand to the other nipple, abusing his flesh in the same way, cutting off the tormented cry with the bruising crush of lips. He ground Hayner against the wall, forcing a leg between his.

_The sick fuck… he’s getting off on this._

Hayner renewed his struggles when he felt a hand tugging at the button to his pants. _No no no…_

He was rewarded for his efforts by having his airflow cut off.  The hand that had remained around his throat clamped down like a vice. He clawed at the arm, his vision blackening around the edges.

“Be a good boy,” the thug warned, regarding him with emotionless, empty eyes. “Or I’ll kill you right now.”

Maybe that would be for the best. He didn’t think he could handle the reality of what was about to happen to him.

He thought that, but the burning in his lungs was hard to ignore. When they started convulsing emptily, he felt himself nod. _Oh, god._

Suddenly he could breathe again and he sucked in great lungfuls of sweet, precious air. He sagged against the wall as his vision cleared, trying to block out everything but the act of breathing and the view of the street behind them.

* * *

Roxas paced, watching the clock. He was back at his apartment.

After losing sight of Hayner, his pursuers, and finally Xavier, he’d spent a good hour sweeping the area. He was seriously worried about his friend. He finally went home, hoping that Hayner would come back there when things blew over, so he’d know he was ok.

But it was now almost 1 am.

… _was_ he ok?

* * *

There was somebody there. A dark silhouette... ghosting closer.

Hayner squinted trying to _see._  The moonlight glinted off of the person’s dark blond hair as the shadows fell from them. Spiky….  

_Roxas?_

He had to be imagining things, inventing a way out of this, an escape from the pain and sickness…

He shut his eyes.  

It would be all the more cruel if he let himself believe in the mirage.

“…ner?” someone was shaking him gently. “Hayner?” They sounded worried.

Hayner opened his eyes. He blinked confusedly at the face leaning over him. “Roxas?”

“No… my name is Xavier.”

“You the guy that hit on me… that one time…?” he asked foggily, brows drawing together. “Where’d you come from?”

“I was at the party, same as you.”  Hayner felt an arm at his back, supporting him. “Here, let’s get you standing up.”

“Where’s… that bandana thug?”

“I knocked him out from behind. He didn’t even hear me coming - he was a little preoccupied with you.”

Hayner noticed his body was starting to shake with fine tremors. He shivered. “Thanks,” he muttered, hating that anyone had witnessed… that.  But he was grateful still for the help.

Xavier had an arm around him, hands cupped under Hayner’s elbows, pulling him up.

Hayner’s vision swam, making him sway with vertigo. “God.” Getting choked and beaten could have nasty after-effects like that. Luckily, that was the worst of it. Somehow, he’d been saved from the hell that bastard had intended for him. Barely.

“We need to get out of here,” Xavier said. “I won’t be much help against the whole crew, and I don’t know when this one,” he indicated the prone figure, “will wake up.”

He propelled Hayner forward.

“Wait.” Hayner scanned the ground for a glint of metal. His eyes swept over the area twice before he saw it. _There_. He went to collect the ring and his grandma’s chain, broken by that asshole.

“Where do you live?” Xavier asked once they had put some distance between them and the thug. “I’ll take you home.”

“No, can’t go home,” he mumbled. “Not like this.”

“How about Roxas’ then? He ought to be home by now.”

“Y’know Roxas?” Talking was unpleasant. He tried to limit his words; they resonated sickly in his head.

“From the party. We followed you after you ducked out, but I guess he couldn’t keep up.”

“Heh, ‘s not much of a runner.”  Laughing hurt, too, but it eased the knot in his chest a little.

* * *

Roxas jumped when he heard the doorbell, although, his mind did not register the noise as such, at first. He had fallen into an uneasy sort of sleep as he waited. Even his anxiety wasn’t enough to keep him conscious on the scant amount of sleep he’d been getting lately. Even so, he felt guilty. How could he rest when he didn’t know if Hayner had gotten caught? If they had done something to him…

At times like these, he really wished they had cell phones. Then he’d at least be able to get to where his best friend was, or find out that he’d eluded the thugs and was already safely at home. He could try to _do_ something instead of sitting here uselessly because he wasn’t able to find them. He could only hope Xavier had accomplished what he hadn’t.

The doorbell rang again.

This time, Roxas recognized it for what it was. A pang condensed sharply in him as all of the uncertainty, worry, and wretchedness of _not knowing_ rushed to the forefront. He scrambled to his feet and ran to the door, dodging and weaving around the mess strewn across his floor. He skidded to a halt a little too late to avoid slamming into the door. He caught himself, palms thudding against the wood, buffering the crash.

“Hayner?” he gasped out as he flung the door open. “Are you ok??”

“I’m fine.”

Roxas’ dropped his gaze to the ground in surprise, finding himself staring at the visitor’s shoes and the frayed edges of the jeans he was wearing. Because it wasn’t Hayner standing on the stoop. Hayner didn’t ever wear such a sullen, reserved, yet pleadingly hopeful look. He didn’t have eyes like blue-green glass… windows to such anguished pain.

…pain that he now understood, better than anyone...

He allowed himself to look up again. The darkness outside gathered like inky blackness on the hoodie he wore and dulled his crimson hair to a subdued scarlet. Shadows slid over his face as he ducked his head. Those beautiful eyes slid closed, blinking slowly as he averted them. Tormented.

“I wanted to see you.” His words were barely louder than the air he breathed out. “At least one last time.”

His voice stirred something. Roxas put a hand to his head. Wispy tendrils like white smoke… obscuring, revealing.  Fragments of memories…

_Voices… a warm hand…_

_The face before him, lit up with a smile, eyes glinting mischievously._

_The same face… tight with anger… as he raised his chakrams._

_His strong words…his fierceness as he turned to face the enemies that had cornered and wounded Roxas._

_An arm draped casually over his shoulder…“Right, Roxas?” he grinned with his eyes closed, looking especially cat-like._

_The feeling of belonging…_

Roxas took in the dejected form before him, reeling from the images. He leaned against the doorframe, his chest felt unbearably tight. There was so much empty space between them. An unbreachable ocean of interference.

A name found its way onto his tongue. Foreign, yet achingly familiar as soon as he uttered it. “…Axel?”

Axel looked at him in disbelief, tears slipping unnoticed from his eyes.

It was the first time Roxas had spoken his name since he’d left. Unbidden, which means he had finally made contact with his lost memories.

“I – “ Roxas felt pulled into those eyes. The space between them hummed, drawing them irrevocably together. “Maybe you should come inside.”

Roxas turned and slipped back through the doorway.

Axel stood there a moment, trying to collect himself. Once he stepped through that door, he’d know. He’d see if there was anything to be salvaged between them, or if he’d be lucky just to have Roxas one day consider him a friend.

Axel took a shaky breath and started forward. He was walking into the truth, and he wasn’t sure if it wouldn’t just rip his heart out.

Axel kept a firm hold on his emotions as he sat next to Roxas on the threadbare couch. “What do you remember?” he asked gravely.

Roxas looked at him with consternation as he tried to make sense of it all. “I… remember your voice, and your face… and there was fighting. Not between us though.” His voice gathered strength as the memories coalesced. He paused. “We were… close, weren’t we?” It almost wasn’t a question. Yet, there was still uncertainty in those eyes, only tentative realization.

“Yes,” Axel said quietly, trying not to let the disappointment crush him.

It was a miracle that Roxas had remembered anything at all- that this had worked. It had taken him days of debating it, over and over, but he finally decided to leave the Organization. He’d had no way of knowing if his memories of Roxas would stay intact afterwards - but it seemed the only way. The least he’d hoped for was that he and Roxas could rebuild what had been between them. Even if Roxas never remembered the past, they’d have the future. However long that was.

“How close?” Roxas whispered, jerking Axel’s thoughts to the present. His eyes were large and dark in his gaunt face. His expression was expectant and focused, but soft.

Axel was fighting the connection to those eyes and the longing that filled him. It was such a simple and complicated question. Spoken like a sigh, a breath, it was an appeal to satisfy curiosity. Or maybe he was just reading into it. He tried to tear his gaze from parted lips, realizing only after feeling their softness against his mouth, that he’d closed the distance between them. Just being close to Roxas like this, it made him ache with desire, and regret. _I don’t want this to end like last time. I couldn’t handle it._

Axel pulled away, feeling like he was moving through thick water against a current, fighting against what came so naturally. “As close as two people can be,” he answered softly, losing himself to those azure depths.

He reached out, brushing the neck of Roxas’ shirt aside gently. “This mark,” he said, ghosting reverent fingers over its fading existence, “was from our first and only time together.”

Roxas closed his eyes, unable to meet the soulful intensity of Axel’s expression. The mere brush of fingertips was stroking something shaking inside of him. His touch was like that first gasp of air after holding your breath too long - it made him feel desperate and exhilarated. “How long ago?” he asked quietly, hating himself for not being able to remember such a thing. The burn of the kiss still hadn’t faded. Its memory lingered on his lips, its effects quickening his pulse.  

“Eight days.”

“So recently?” Roxas murmured. He thought back on how long it had been since his insomnia had kicked up, how long ago his appetite had died. And for how long the crushing depression had been threatening to overwhelm him. They… coincided. _Could all of that been because of Axel?_

“An eternity.” Axel caught his gaze and held it. Raw pain and desire filled his expressive eyes.

Roxas felt his stomach tighten.

He reached a shaking hand to Axel’s cheek, his heartbeat pounding in his ears. Aqua fire was burning to the core of him. “What was it like?” he whispered.

There was a breathless moment before Axel took his hand, removing it and disarming the situation. He brought it down from his face, clasping it between his hands as he looked away, brows drawn together. “Beautiful. Indescribable,” he said.

His kohl-lined eyes lowered, focusing on infinite places that weren’t Roxas. “I’m sorry.” He couldn’t mask the pain in his voice, the anger at himself. “I shouldn’t have let things go so far. But I missed you so much, and when you looked at me like that… I…” Axel’s hands clenched. “If only I’d waited until I left the Organization, maybe you wouldn’t have had to forget…”

“Show me.”

“What?” Axel looked up, startled.

“Show me what it was like.” Roxas’ heart was hammering in his chest. The mere thought of what he was asking made him have to hold his breath to try to calm the anxiousness that tightened his chest and the nervous fluttering in his stomach.  Axel’s gaze was intent upon him as he pulled his shirt over his head and let it fall to the floor. His eyes glowed mysteriously, tracking his every movement. Hesitation and lust swam darkly within them.

Roxas moved closer, shivering under the weight of Axel’s gaze. He leaned forward, holding his breath as he pressed their lips together. Axel’s mouth yielded softly to his, quickening his sleeping desire.

A torrent of feeling was burying him alive. Life itself was distilled in this tenuous contact, in the shy meeting of tongues.

Axel’s arms wound around him, pulling him closer as Roxas lay him back onto the couch, resting between the firm entrapment of Axel’s legs.  He was burning with desire… The redhead was letting him make all the moves. Giving him absolute control, as his watchful eyes pleaded for more.

Roxas brushed his hand over the front of Axel’s jeans, entranced by the whimpers that escaped his lips, absorbed in the delicate frown and the crease forming between the redhead’s elegant eyebrows. Such a fragile expression, yet so lustful.

Something about this submissive display was bringing out urges within Roxas that he didn’t know he’d had. He wanted to hear more of these noises, made solely for him. He wanted Axel panting and moaning and thrashing. He wanted to push the limits of how fully the redhead would go for him, now that he sensed the depth of it. To feel this beautiful and proud person offer himself so wholly…

Roxas slipped a hand under the heavy warmth of the hoodie. His fingers graced skin so smooth and cool that it felt like marble. If only marble also felt like trembling silk….

“Roxas…” Axel’s voice was faint, but leaden with desire. Twin slivers of aqua-green were focused on him. Watching. Waiting.

The blond smiled as he bent forward to kiss him. He teasingly trailed his fingertips beneath the waistband of Axel’s jeans, making him shudder.

Roxas parted with his lips in favor of the graceful pale column of his throat. He worshipped it with devout lips and teeth as his nimble fingers undid the button of Axel’s jeans. The zipper was slid down slowly, its journey seemingly unending. Axel’s breathing quickened, his hand reaching up to tangle in Roxas’ hair.

The redhead gasped as Roxas swept his fingers along his length. He almost choked when the blond’s quick fingers wrapped so firmly around him, squeezing, as blue eyes burned into his. Possessiveness poured out of them and was mirrored in every touch. It was almost too much to bear. Too intense, emotional, bittersweet. Love and remembered anguish filled him up, threatening to sweep him away. Lying in the embrace of the one he loved- he couldn’t get enough. He’d never get enough to make this seem real, after all this time.

Axel ran his hands down Roxas’ sides, curving in to trace his hipbones where they were left exposed. He trailed a nail lightly across his slightly concave stomach, feeling the muscles clench in response. He couldn’t help but smirk a little as Roxas’ sharp intake of breath.

He undid the clasp or Roxas’ pants and slid them down just far enough to give himself access. Desire was hot and hard in his hand.

“A-Axel…” Roxas gasped as his eyes fluttered closed. “Ahhh!” he moaned as Axel’s hand began to move. Cool fingers caressed his burning skin, encircling and stroking him.

Suddenly, Roxas realized hazily, being on top did not seem to equate with the position of power. The movements were languid, drawn out. He followed each one to its end, striving for more sensation. He desperately willed the pace to increase, for Axel’s fingers to close more tightly around him, but felt overwhelmed when it did.

He rested his forehead on Axel’s chest. His whole body was chained to the rhythm of Axel’s hand. His whole being was controlled by this passion - the deep ache in his loins, and the desire he held in his own hand. Roxas alternated between slow caresses and tightly firm strokes, loving it each time he made Axel jump, gasp, or moan. Each reaction sent a flush of heat through him, tightening his belly.

Their rhythm started to fall apart. Every motion became shakier, less restrained. Their bodies were tightening up, muscles tensing as they strained for the promised rush of pleasure that lapped at them. Shivers raced up their spines, distracting them as their focuses turned inward, as they relished the feel of one another. Their movements seemed suspended in time. The duration of each motion was an eternity of wanting it to happen faster, harder, hotter.  

 _Axel…_ Roxas’ vision blurred as he looked at the other half of himself, his eyes stinging. How must it have been for Axel, to experience something like this and be forgotten? What would it be like to look into the eyes of your love and see that you are nothing more than a stranger to them? Pain tore at his heart.

“I…love you…Axel….” he panted, the weight of new emotion rushing heavily through him. “I think I… always…have.”

“Rox…as…” Axel groaned as the world tipped on its side and orgasm tore its way through him. His hips ground upward, thrusting into the blond’s hand.

The sharp cry of release sent hot sparks of pleasure through Roxas, rattling his control, coiling and unleashing with intensity. He reached climax and cried out, body shaking with hard, delayed shudders.  

They lay on the couch for some time after, a tangle of limbs and clothes, a feeling of completeness blanketing them warmly. Axel ran a hand lightly through Roxas’ hair, smoothing the spikes and feeling them spring back unaffected. He smiled.

“So, that’s what it was like?” Roxas said sleepily. He was draped over the redhead, his cheek resting comfortably against his chest. He glanced up at Axel’s face.

“To be honest, that wasn’t quite like the first time.” Axel smiled ruefully at him. His aqua eyes spoke volumes, and Roxas could see that this had meant the world to both of them.

“No?” Roxas asked petulantly, burrowing into Axel’s side to hide the smirk tugging at his mouth. “Well maybe we should try till we get it right.”

Axel grinned down at the unruly golden hair, ruffling it gently.

“Nothing could make me happier.”

* * *

TBC

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (Omg i forgot how much i love these two T___T  akuroku is just ROMANTIC UGHGHHGShfiadhf;ash. love them)
> 
> ((I totally BINGE listened to "Tomorrow Too Late" for them. it feels nostalgic, heartrending but hopeful and smitten.))
> 
>  
> 
> HEY ALL, i know i wrote this initially a while ago, but i am cleaning it up and fixing some things and would love to hear what you think. Plz help support my tortured artist teeny ego and let me know stuff you liked or enjoyed or whatnot. Tnx! REVIEWS = LOVE


	13. In the Dark of Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.
> 
>  **Chapter song Seifer/Hayner:**  
>  Econoline Crush "Razorblades and Bandaids"  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vtmh0cDca5M&list=PL01XjHYXPLSOyZMgh7V2Rk2MXgGogG43F&index=11

* * *

_ Chapter 13: In the Dark of Night _

“What are you gonna tell Seifer?” Xavier asked as they approached the gang leader’s apartment.

Hayner went stock still, the clenching in his chest suddenly overriding everything. He hadn’t thought any more deeply than his desperate need to erase the feel of violation from his skin and his mind, to calm the twitching adrenaline that was keeping him shaking. He hadn’t thought past getting where he’d feel safe.  

What  _ would _ Seifer say? What would he do? A wave of dizziness flushed through Hayner, making him lean on Xavier for support.

Would Seifer be mad at him? 

How much of this had he brought onto himself? he wondered sickly. He had decided to go to that party, yes. He even fumbled himself into the situation with Bo. However, he  _ hadn’t _ done anything personally to warrant those thugs coming after him. Wasn’t that just because of his association with Seifer?

He palmed the ring in a tight fist.  

“You ok?” Xavier asked.

“Yeah.”

Xavier put a steadying hand under Hayner’s elbow as they went up the steps. “Wonder if he’s home?” the blue-eyed boy wondered aloud. No lights seemed to be on in the apartment. “Or maybe he’s asleep?” He raised his hand and started to knock.

“No, wait. I have a key.” Hayner fished it out of his pocket and fumbled it into the lock. It stuck a little as he turned the key, but he jiggled it a bit and the deadbolt finally conceded. He retracted the key and turned the knob, pushing the door open into darkness. 

“Can I _ help _ you?” drawled a low voice from deep within the room. Seifer.

“It’s me,” Hayner said as he walked forward. It wasn’t completely dark. As his eyes adjusted, he could see the dim glow of the T.V., which wouldn’t have been visible to them from outside, he realized, due to the tin foiled windows. How long ago had that been now, the day that started everything? Somehow, it felt like years.

Seifer was watching them from the couch, his elbow resting on the arm and his head propped up on his hand. There was mock annoyance on his face, his lips curved up in the beginnings of a smile.

Hayner met his eyes through the shadows and felt his throat constrict. How would this ever be easy between them?  

The ring felt heavy in his hand.

Some naïve part of him had believed that it would all work out somehow. But, it had been made painfully clear to him tonight that getting caught up in gang rivalry was just as bad as he’d thought it would be. And he realized - for the first time - Seifer couldn’t keep him safe. He couldn’t account for everyone and everything. It just wasn’t possible. 

_ God. How am I supposed to tell him what happened?  _

Xavier hung back just inside the doorway, not sure if he should go yet or stay.

“I thought you’d be at Roxas’ tonight,” Seifer said, the hint of a question in his tone. 

Hayner nodded, not trusting himself to speak. Seifer was like a beacon of light and life, the opposite of everything he’d been through tonight, and he craved the warmth of his eyes and arms. Somehow those things seemed so far from his grasp. He was drowning in dark waters, reaching in vain for the surface, the weight crushing the air from his lungs. 

Would he be able to stop now? Could he give Seifer up, if he knew tonight’s events were bound to repeat?  

“…and you come with Xavier in tow,” Seifer continued. His expression became guarded at Hayner’s silence.

“I came to give this back,” Hayner mumbled, as he took the final steps toward the couch. The ache in his chest was trying to tell him he shouldn’t be here. 

Hayner held his clenched right hand out to Seifer, looking anywhere but in his eyes. He waited, and watched Seifer’s left hand rise up under his. When their skin touched his hand opened, releasing his burden with the soft clink of metal.

Seifer stared at his hand when Hayner’s hand slid away. Nestled in his palm were the key to his apartment and the silver ring he’d given to him. 

Seifer took in infinite meaningless details before he could react: like the way the key lay speared through the unbroken circle of the band, the way the waves looked black in the dim light, how the metal of the key was dull and tired but bit like a knife when he clenched his fist. 

“So that’s how it is?” he asked, giving the blond an opportunity to deny it. It was with monumental effort that he kept his voice calm. Hayner finally met his eyes, but he didn’t like what he saw there.  _ It was over?  _

Seifer stood slowly. He tried to contain the surging anger snapping through his body, searching for an outlet. 

He moved past the blond, refusing to look at him, his gaze locking onto Xavier who was still loitering in the doorway and shifting from foot to foot. He looked uncomfortable… guilty...  _ Is it  _ **_your_ ** _ fault? _ Seifer felt rage seeping past his control as he closed the distance between them. He slammed Xavier into the wall and found himself wrapping his fingers around the other boy’s throat. “I think you better start explaining,” he said with deadly calm, “because I don’t like the way this looks.” 

Xavier grimaced and looked at Hayner. He really didn’t want to be the one to explain, especially not when Seifer looked like he was about to snap. 

“…er! Seifer, stop it!” Hayner was holding his arm back. He hadn’t realized he’d raised it. “Seifer! Listen to me, goddammit!” 

Seifer turned, letting Hayner see hatred in his eyes. “What is he to you?” he bit out harshly. He had to know the truth before he could let Xavier go. If he really had stolen the blond from him, by God he’d get at least one swing in, no matter how much Hayner disapproved.

Hayner looked confused and a little scared. “W-What’s that got to do with anything?”

_ Hayner _ ! Xavier cried internally.  _ What the hell kinda answer is that?! _ Seifer’s murderous glare had swung back to him, intensified. His fingers twitched about Xavier’s throat, tightening, and Hayner seemed to be having trouble holding back his other arm. 

“I just- helped him out of- of a little trouble,” Xavier volunteered haltingly, struggling to get the words out around the pressure of the gang leader’s grip. He decided to risk it since Hayner’s ambiguous reply was not helping him get any further away from Seifer’s fist. “I could do- without the lover’s spat,” he added, hoping he’d guessed right when he thought Seifer seemed jealous. 

Seifer took a long look at Xavier, analyzing him against years of knowing him. He was a tramp, with more conquests under his belt than one would think was even possible. His reputation for being able to seduce boys and girls alike- regardless of their usual preferences, was near legendary. His dark blue eyes held tension and a tiredness that didn’t match the situation. Seifer narrowed his eyes, remembering that Xavier was usually loyal to a fault. He looked uncomfortable, yes, but he didn’t seem to be lying. 

“Why did you give the ring back?” Seifer asked Hayner. The question hovered dangerously in the air. 

Hayner tried to answer, but found that the memory of his assault was too fresh in his mind. He shuddered. He could still feel the snap of his chain breaking against his neck, and the way it cut into his flesh before giving way. 

Seifer grit his teeth. He couldn’t bear seeing Hayner look like that, with such a tired and broken look on his face, even if things were finished between them… “Does it have anything to do with Xavier?” he asked.

Hayner shook his head. 

“Fine,” he said finally and released Xavier. “Get out,” he ordered the blue-eyed boy. Xavier let himself out in a hurry, closing the door swiftly behind him.

Seifer stood where he was, his back to Hayner, clenching and unclenching his hands. “What did you mean by giving the ring back to me?” he asked quietly.

Hayner sank to the floor and pulled his knees to his chest. “The chain’s broken,” he said sullenly, looking down. “ I – I can’t wear it anymore.” 

“Is that all?” Seifer rounded on him, not believing it. “You weren’t trying to break things off?” Seifer tried to quash the spark of hope that the thought gave him. He already felt like the ground had fallen out from under him, he wasn’t going to set himself up again so easily. 

Hayner sighed shakily, putting his hands over his face. “I don’t think I could,” he mumbled. “Even if it’s gonna get me killed eventually.” He’d thought about it though, wondered if it might not be for the best, but the moment the ring left his hand, he’d wanted it back.

Seifer’s vision began to clear as relief and anxiety twisted within him. Something about Hayner’s choice of words… He was startled to notice the bruises forming on Hayner’s neck and the abrasions on his arms. He knelt down next to the blond. How could he have been so _ blind _ ?  

Seifer gently pulled Hayner’s hands from his face with minor resistance. His expression as he looked away was heartbreaking. 

“Hayner, who did this to you?” 

Concern and anger were swirling like oil and water in Seifer’s chest, one overwhelming the other at any given moment. 

Hayner’s hands were shaking in his. “I don’t know.” 

Seifer wanted to comfort him, but he couldn’t, not with these conflicting emotions lancing through him and uncertainty poisoning him. Just how bad was it? Seifer released his hands and grabbed the blond’s shirt, pulling it up. 

He didn’t move for a moment, taking in the damaged skin. His hands fisted in the cloth and he wrenched the shirt up, pulling it more carefully off of Hayner’s head and arms, so he could inspect the full extent of it. 

The unmistakable scrape of nails traced angry crimson paths, both short and winding, across his flesh. Dull red flaked from the ones that went deep. A few disappeared from sight beneath the waistband of his pants. Bruises blossomed plentifully upon Hayner’s torso in burgundy and blues. His chest rose and fell in short shallow breaths. His nipples and lips were but more abused flesh, swollen and bruised darkly. His eyes were wide and scared.   

Seifer’s hand hovered uselessly over the battered skin. It was so unreal that he almost had to touch it to believe. Only Hayner flinching away stopped him. His heart was slamming in his chest, flooding him with sick energy. He could feel the haze of fury lowering its red veil over his eyes. 

“You don’t know who did this?!” It was obvious where the attacker meant to take this - if they hadn’t already done so. “Was it Bo?” He snarled, making the other boy flinch.

“No, it was…” Hayner’s chest heaved. He hugged his legs close, despite the obvious pain it caused him. He looked like he was trying to make himself as small as possible. “It was a guy from some gang,” he said faintly. “I’d never seen him before. But they seemed to be enemies of yours. I guess I’m lucky he was the only one who caught up to me.”  

Seifer felt sick.  _ It’s my fault? That Hayner… _

Hayner’s hands clenched. “He saved me. Xavier, I mean. Before the guy could…” he trailed off. 

Seifer was pretty sure he hated himself right now. Hayner had gone through that for him, and still sought him out afterwards, and  _ this _ was how he repaid him? All his anger and jealousy seemed so selfish now, just another ordeal Hayner had been made to suffer. “Tell me what happened.”

Hayner swallowed. “I was at a party with Roxas,” he said emptily. “Xavier was there too, and so were those guys you beat the shit out of for threatening me. When they recognized me, they came after me…”

“God, Hayner…” How could he sit here and listen to Hayner speak like it had happened to someone else? 

“The one that got me mentioned you,” Hayner continued in that nearly monotone voice. “Said he wanted to see if I was worth almost killing people over. And he snapped the chain. He said he knew the ring was yours, that it was your warning to them or something, but he couldn’t have cared less.”

Anguish. Listening to this was pure anguish. He’d tried to protect Hayner and had only gotten him hurt.  _ It was all his fault. _

“In a way, it’s probably all my fault,” Hayner said then.

Seifer was wrenched from his thoughts. “ _ What? _ ”

“I was just trying to cheer Roxas up, but it was my choice to go to that party. It was Bo’s.” He paused while Seifer tried to take that in.  

“Ok, that doesn’t make me very happy, but I still don’t see how – “

“You were right about him, you know.”

“Huh?” Seifer said with confusion. Hayner was switching tracks, losing him in the illogical flow of his thoughts.

“I lost Roxas and Bo found me. He was convinced I was single and wanted his tongue down my throat. I punched him for it, and that’s what got the gang after me.” 

“That still doesn’t make it your fault - ”

Hayner laughed a little. It was a horrible sound. “And I never told anyone about us,” his voice was filled with wonder and condemnation. “Isn’t that funny??”

Seifer had never felt as cold as he did now.

He wanted to recoil from the sight and sound of the blond boy beginning to snap. He wanted to hide from the horror of what he’d caused, but he drew Hayner to him instead.  

The boy was rigid in his arms. Seifer cradled Hayner’s body against him, smoothing his hair, murmuring ‘I’m sorry’ and ‘I love you’ and countless other things he couldn’t later recollect. He held him until the tension abated and his body shook in silent sobs.

* * *

It was warm and dark, Roxas thought, lying here on the couch like this. They had been drifting in and out of sleep for a while now, too comfortable to move. The hush of early morning, many hours before sunrise, imbued the room with a delicate calmness. The cool air on his back was a complement to the cozy heat beneath him.

Roxas smiled sleepily. Axel, in a hoodie, was the best pillow he’d ever had. He buried his face in the softness of the dark cloth. He wanted to close his eyes and sink back into peaceful slumber, but the questions buzzing in his mind were being persistent.

“Axel?” 

“Hmn?” The redhead’s voice was sleep roughened.

“Can you clear a few things up for me?”

“Sure,” Axel said gamely, distorting the word with a yawn.

“That place we were, when we knew each other before…” Roxas prompted.

“Organization XIII.” He yawned again and shook his head. “Yes, that’s where we first met.”

Roxas looked up at him. His aqua eyes were sleepy and gorgeous. “Why did I forget everything when I left, but you didn’t?”

Axel blinked slowly as he thought about that a moment. 

Roxas stared at the tiny inverted teardrops tattooed under his eyes, fascinated, and found himself wanting to touch them. Such curious little marks. He was just about to reach up when Axel started to speak. “I think it’s for two reasons. When you left, you didn’t really want to remember anything. And then as more time passed, what memories you had slowly leached away. That would have been the Organization’s catch-all protection affecting you. Non-Org. members cannot retain memories of anything related to Organization XIII for very long. It’s like the Castle of Oblivion, but more widespread.”

“But that doesn’t seem to have affected you…”

“I wasn’t trying to forget,” Axel reminded him. “And not much time has elapsed since I left.”

“Wait, does that mean that you might not remember me later?” Roxas asked with poorly concealed alarm. Creeping dread was coiling its loathsome fingers through his chest.  _ No, not so soon! _ They had only just rediscovered each other! 

Axel gave him a small smile. “Neither of us is Org. anymore. Anything we forget is related to that, and not each other. Any memories we make together are our own now. The Organization can’t touch them.”

Roxas breathed a sigh of relief. “You’ve really thought this through,” he ventured. “What were you going to do if I couldn’t remember anything about you?” Roxas gave in to his earlier urge, tracing the tiny black marks beneath Axel’s eyes, watching as they fluttered closed.

“I was going to try my damnedest to befriend you,” he said with intensity, a pained expression flitting over his perfect face.

“Is that all?” Roxas’ hand drifted lower, tracing the curve of the redhead’s cheek, his thumb brushing lightly across Axel’s lips. He felt them part and the tip of a tongue flicked his skin. The playful touch sent tingles all the way down to his toes. 

He raised his eyes to find Axel watching his reaction enigmatically. Roxas felt his face flush as Axel’s hand cupped his cheek.  _ Kiss me, _ he thought fervently.   

“I was hoping that our feelings would be strong enough to bring us together again, but if not- I’d take whatever you were willing to give me.” Axel gave him a sad smile. “Being near you was more important to me than anything else. I just had to wheedle my way into your new life and form at least an acquaintance with you, before my memories were taken from me.”

Roxas stared at his lips as he spoke, wanting more than anything to close the distance between them, but the words were pinging his heart with sad longing.  “So as long as we knew each other before that happened, we’d have a chance?” It seemed so haphazard, so impossible.

“Yeah.” Axel ran a hand through his red, sleep-tousled hair, attempting to grin. “A chance at being normal people, forming normal relationships. It was a risk- but I was sure that we’d be close again one day.”

_ Axel, that’s depressing _ , Roxas thought at him morosely. “So, we’ll still forget about the Organization eventually?”

“Probably. But it doesn’t matter.” Axel stroked Roxas’ cheek tenderly. “You were the only thing I’d want to remember about that place.”

Roxas ducked his head and hugged Axel tightly, trying not to imagine the loss of him. “That was such a big gamble,” he whispered. “It might not have worked.”

“I had to try.” His voice was tortured. “Once I found you, I couldn’t make myself stay away and I knew eventually I would compromise your safety.” Axel’s arms closed around the blond. “The Org. would find you through me, and I’d be responsible for giving away your location.” He took a shaky breath. “Even now, they might always find us and kill us.”

It was a hard truth, Roxas thought. But if that’s the way things were…

“As long as I’m with you, I’m fine.” Roxas’ eyes met Axel’s with fierce determination. “…whatever happens.” 

Axel tilted Roxas face up to his, and kissed him desperately.

* * *

“What’re you doing?” Hayner mumbled tiredly against Seifer’s chest as he was picked up. His body sagged with exhaustion.

“Damage control,” Seifer said as he carried him into he bathroom. He set him down on the countertop and took another look at the blond’s damages, trying to decide where to begin. It looked even worse in the stale fluorescent light. Hayner’s skin looked waxen and pale, and the bruises stood out more starkly in sickly purple and magenta. There weren’t as many as he’d thought there were from seeing them in the dark. Some of it was just smeared blood. 

Seifer opened the small linen closet behind him and grabbed a clean washcloth. Hayner sat obediently, not saying a word, his eyes unfocused. 

Seifer turned on the faucet. It took a little while for the water to run warm, but when it did, he filled the sink with it. He submerged the cloth, letting it thoroughly saturate, and loosely wrung it out. 

Hayner hissed when he felt the cloth touch his skin. Life flowed back into his eyes as he said, “Is that necessary?”

Seifer looked at him, all seriousness. “It is. We have to get you cleaned up. But I could throw you in the tub, if you’d rather.” 

Hayner looked caught between a scowl and a smile. “This’s fine,” he mumbled, letting Seifer take care of him. 

He bore the ministrations without another word, both liking and hating the warm wetness of the cloth dabbing against his skin. Seifer was careful and methodical. The only thing that really hurt was when he re-soaked the cloth and pressed it to the newly clotted flesh to reopen the wounds. 

“Here. Hold this,” Seifer said distractedly, indicating the cloth. He began rooting around in the cabinet under the sink for antiseptic, bandages, and things. He placed them on the other side of the counter and ripped open a packet of gauze, dousing it with a liberal splash of alcohol.  Seifer took the washcloth from Hayner and dropped it into the pink- tinted water in the sink. “This’ll sting,” he murmured as he held the anesthetized gauze to the bleeding cut. 

Hayner sucked in a breath as the alcohol sent needle-sharp probings into his skin. It felt like the wound was being ripped open all over again. “Damn. You weren’t kidding.”

“Hold that on there until the bleeding stops so I can do the others.” 

“Sure,” he said softly as he watched Seifer work. A slight frown marred the older boy’s face as he dressed the wound, but his hands were sure and gentle. Hayner wasn’t sure he needed all this - not that he knew anything about first aid.  But Seifer’s efforts made him feel warm and calm. The bathroom ceased being just that and became, instead, a close-knit space where only the two of them existed. He could feel the strings of thought and touch and feeling that laced around them, the pull that drew them together. 

Seifer took his hand gingerly, turning the abraded part up and holding it over the sink. He turned on the water and let it wash the dirt and grit out of the raw skin. He tipped Hayner’s hand slightly from side to side, to help the water pluck out the more stubborn bits. Hayner winced. The water felt like tiny, soft fingers scrabbling and pulling at the wound. Seifer’s silken hair fell forward, obscuring his eyes as he bent over the sink in concentration. 

“Did you mean what you said before?” Hayner asked him quietly.  

There was a tense moment before Seifer reached out to turn the faucet off again. “Which thing?” he responded carefully. 

Hayner remained quiet while Seifer dried his hand with a towel. He was having trouble asking outright, and was revising and discarding a million ways to say it. “When I was… upset before…” He watched as Seifer tore open the paper wrapper of a large bandage and started to apply antibiotic ointment to it. “Did you mean it when you said you loved me?” The words felt heavy as they left his mouth, falling like stones into a pool of water, shaking the placid surface with a thousand waves. 

Seifer’s hands stilled. 

The silence seemed unending. 

“Yeah,” Seifer said finally, “I did.” He kept his eyes on the bandage, picking up where he left off. He looked up only after he had secured the adhesive ends to the good skin above and below the heel of his hand. There was a pained look lurking half hidden within them. “Maybe that’s why I can’t control my temper when it comes to you.” 

Hayner’s breath caught in his throat.  _ Love? _ He rolled the word around in his mind, testing it. It had the ring of undiscovered truth behind it. Could that also be the name for this insanity he was always feeling?  “Seifer…”

“You don’t have to say anything,” Seifer interrupted, breaking eye contact. “It is what it is.” He pulled Hayner’s arm closer, turning it to inspect the last untreated spot. The torn up skin was just under his elbow- along the forearm. He wouldn’t be able to get at it to clean it this way. He needed Hayner to stand at the sink while he poured water over it, otherwise it’d be a real mess.  “Hop down,” he said as he turned the water back on. 

Hayner slid off the counter and moved in front of the sink as Seifer indicated. He’d wanted to tell Seifer he might maybe feel the same, but the older boy had brusquely turned that conversation aside. The moment was irretrievable, with nothing but a hint of discord in the air to attest to its passing. 

“Hold out your arm.” 

Hayner caught sight of Seifer’s face in the mirror as he moved to comply. It was perfectly blank. He’d come to recognize it as Seifer’s game face. It annoyed him that the miscreant could, and would, try to hide things from him. Hayner held his arm out at an intentionally difficult angle. “Like this?”

Seifer frowned. “No, you’ll get the bandage on your hand wet.” Seifer readjusted his arm so his wrist was at shoulder height, then began filling a cup next to the sink with water. He lifted the brimming cup and poured the water so it ran over Hayner’s forearm and down off his elbow. 

Hayner let him repeat the process twice before shifting his arm. First he angled so the runoff was in danger of flooding the counter. Next, he swayed, almost knocking his arm into the cup. Each time, Seifer’s eyebrow twitched and he brought the blond’s arm patiently back into position. The third time, Hayner let his hand drop almost low enough for water to soak the bandage on his hand. This time, mild annoyance surfaced on Seifer’s face. Their eyes met in the mirror. 

“Hayner, are you doing this to vex me?” 

Hayner did his best, wide-eyed, ‘who, me?’ look. He could see for himself that it didn’t look quite as innocent he’d intended. 

Seifer set the cup down. He stepped behind Hayner and slid an arm around him, gripping the younger boy’s wrist in his left hand. He held it aloft in the ‘correct’ position. “If you can’t manage…” His eyes clashed intimately with Hayner’s as he bent to speak in his ear. “Then I guess I’ll just have to help you.” 

Seifer’s lean form was warm against his back, his lips brushing against his ear. Hayner shivered and nodded, closing his eyes. His heart was pounding, and for the first time that night, it was in a good way. 

Seifer leaned forward to retrieve the cup, holding the blond tightly in place, and noticed a faint flush on his cheeks.  _ Oh? _ He pretended not to notice as he cleaned the abrasion with cup after cup of poured water. The other boy’s expression was as close to peaceful as he’d seen it tonight. 

Seifer allowed himself a small smile. He’d been afraid that the blond would recoil from physical contact, so he’d purposely kept his distance. But it seems he’d been goaded into initiating something after all. “Still a brat,” he breathed into Hayner’s ear, grinning when Hayner’s cheeks flushed and his brown eyes opened peevishly.

“Aren’t you done mummifying me yet?” Hayner grumbled as Seifer patted the water off of his arm and prepared to dress it.

“Almost.”

Seifer splashed alcohol directly onto the wound, drying the runoff with more gauze. While the antiseptic evaporated, he ripped the paper off two large sterile pads and smeared them with more of the clear antibiotic gel. He placed the pads, overlapping them a little, and wrapped a thin, lightweight bandage around a section of Hayner’s forearm to secure them. 

“What’s that?” the blond asked. “It looks kinda like an ace bandage or tape or something.”

“Cohesive bandage,” he said simply, cutting it off the roll and smoothing the end down. “It’ll stick to itself, but not to your skin.” 

Hayner watched Seifer as he cleared away the mess and put things back into the cabinet. “Um, thanks,” he said. “I wouldn’t have known how to do any of that.”

“It’s not a problem. I patch people up all the time.” 

An uncomfortable silence fell between them. 

Seifer cursed his poor choice of words. He hadn’t meant to allude to the fights he and his friends often got involved in, or the injuries they sometimes sustained. He’d just spoken without thinking. Stuff like that was a way of life when part of a gang. He ran a hand through his hair. “I need a beer,” he muttered and left the bathroom.

He shuffled into the kitchen and pulled a bottle out of the fridge. He paused with the door open.  _ Better make that two. _ He grabbed the second one by the neck with the same hand, causing the glass to clink together, and shoved the door shut. 

What the fuck was he going to do about all this? He popped the top on a bottle and took a long swig. Jeezus. Why did everything have to get so complicated?

He finished his beer in the dark silence of the kitchen.

Hayner looked up when Seifer entered the room. He was sitting on the bed, skittish again, looking like he had something to say. Seifer sighed mentally.

“I should go back to Roxas’,” the blond stated.

_ Like hell.  _ “Now?”

“Yeah. I haven’t seen him since we got to the party. He’ll be wondering if I’m ok.”

“You’re not ok.” Seifer stated bluntly, walking over to the bed. He set his beer and a glass of water on the table beside the bed. He went back into the bathroom a moment and came back with a bottle. He shook two pills into his hand and recapped it, tossing it on the floor as he sat on the bed. He didn’t need Hayner reading the label. “Here, take this.”

“What is it?” the blond asked suspiciously.

“A strong painkiller.”

“I don’t need that.”

Seifer gave him a baleful look. “You will when the shock wears off. Just trust me on this.”

Hayner relented and accepted the large white pills and glass that Seifer held out to him. He popped them into his mouth and washed them down with a gulp of water, then passed the glass back to Seifer and lay down. “I really should go.”

Seifer lounged against the headboard of the bed, bringing one leg up so he could rest his arm on his knee. The beer bottle hung from his hand in a relaxed grip. “Can’t it wait? Nobody is even up at this indecent hour.”  He ruffled his hand absently through the blond’s hair as he tilted the bottle to his lips.

Hayner closed his eyes. “Roxas might be. He worries.” He was getting distracted by the feel of fingers running softly through his hair. “And has insomnia,” he added for good measure. 

“What if you go, and end up destroying his first night of peaceful sleep?” Seifer asked softly, looking down at him. Hayner’s face almost looked angelic in the diffused light. Seifer felt the corner of his mouth turn up with amusement.   

Hayner thought about that a long while and yawned. “It isn’t very likely.” 

“Why don’t you just call him?” Seifer asked quietly, noticing the blond’s breathing was starting to even out. It wouldn’t be too much longer now. 

“What if ‘e doesn’t pick up?” Hayner slurred sleepily. “’Sides, I told Gran… that’s… where I’d be.”

The painkiller had a sleep aid in it and it tended to work pretty fast. He knew Hayner would be mad if he found out, but he just didn’t want to let the blond out of his sight, not after what had happened. 

He watched Hayner for a few more minutes. When he was sure the blond was solidly asleep, Seifer got up carefully. He grabbed his beer and his cell phone and went out into the living room, closing the bedroom door partway. He flicked the cell open and pushed a few buttons on the glowing keypad.

He let it ring until he got voicemail, then he hung up and called back. Someone picked up on the next ring. They sounded annoyed. “Dammit, man, don’t you have any patience? Do you know what time it is?”

“Yeah. It’s fucking early.”

Xavier sighed in irritation.

“Listen,” Seifer said. “I called to apologize.”

“You really didn’t need to wake me up for that-”

“Well, I also needed to ask you something.”

“Figures,” Xavier muttered.

“Oh, c’mon, Xav!” he said with exasperation. “If I was just calling to say ‘sorry I was an asshole earlier’, I would’ve waited until I wasn’t being an asshole for waking you up.”

“All right, all right,” Xavier grumbled. “What is it then?”

“How far did the guy get before you got there?” Seifer asked, his voice low and cold. “And who do I need to kill?”

* * *

TBC


	14. E is for Embarrassing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.
> 
> *I went back in and added **music** to the author's notes, pairing songs with chapters. Check those out if they weren't there when you read before. :)

* * *

**** _ Chapter 14: E is for Embarrassing _

“You came with no other clothes, didn’t you?” Roxas asked as they got out of the shower. His eyes swept languidly up Axel’s lean legs, lingering on the beautiful curve of a cheek as he bent to dry them.

“Only the clothes on my back,” Axel sighed as he straightened. He wrapped the towel around his waist, unknowingly obstructing Roxas’ view. “Thanks for throwing them in the wash for me.” Their earlier activities had made re-wearing them today unadvisable. Oh, but it was worth it.

“No problem, but it’ll be a while till they’re done.” Roxas replied. He wrapped his towel around his waist and followed Axel out of the bathroom, into the bedroom. His look turned thoughtful as he watched the redhead, admiring the way the water droplets clung to his naked chest. The normally spiky red hair was hand-combed back from his face in wet tangles that were almost garnet in color. He was unbelievably sexy. 

Roxas moved to stand in front of the distracted redhead. “But, Axel,” he said, capturing his attention and his clear aquamarine gaze. He ran his hands slowly down the redhead’s hips and smiled suggestively. “…what am I supposed to do with you until then?” 

Axel tried to restrain the need that sparked in his body. He closed his eyes, feeling his skin heat as the blond touched him. Maybe he was just misinterpreting the question. Roxas had never been bold like that before…

Roxas pushed Axel to sit on the bed and leaned over him, brushing their lips together lightly. Teasingly. Axel looked up at him. His azure eyes were intense, a spark of challenge in their depths. A half-formed smirk was hovering over his enticingly cherubic lips.

Axel grinned. “I can think of a few things.” He pulled the blond onto his lap and kissed him slowly. The taste and feel of Roxas filled his mouth.  _ Such soft lips…  _ His hands slid down the boy’s slender waist, stopping just above the towel. He nudged it down a little, loosening its hold. He felt a smirk tilt his mouth when Roxas didn’t notice.

Axel ran a hand up the blond’s chest, and snaked the other around to grip his bottom and pull him closer. Roxas made a small noise as their bodies touched. He could feel that the blond was as interested in taking this further as he was. The minx.

“Dammit, Axel,” Roxas breathed as their hip rocked together. “Why do you have to be so sexy?” 

Axel shivered as Roxas’ hands found their way into his hair. “I….” he trailed off before he really started, a look of confusion forming on his face. “Why don’t you have a lock on your door?” he said suddenly, looking over the blond’s shoulder. 

“Huh?” Roxas turned to look.

* * *

_ 5 minutes earlier…. _

Hayner trudged up to the door on Roxas’ apartment. The building was still as wretchedly colored as it ever was. If only because of that, Roxas really should consider relocating. He knocked on the door.

He waited patiently. As patiently as he could, which was all of 20 seconds. He knocked again. “Roxas? It’s Hayner, you home?” There was still no response. 

He waited another minute. Then, out of pure frustration, he tried the doorknob. It turned.

_ That’s odd, _ he thought,  _ Roxas always locks the door. _  He eased the door open, not sure what he was going to find. What if there was a burglar or worse? “Roxas?” he called quietly. “You in here?” The apartment was dark, the blinds on the windows were firmly closed. He saw light and thought he heard voices coming from Roxas’ room. 

He was not prepared for the sight that greeted him.

Roxas looked up, startled. “H-Hayner?”

* * *

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry!” Hayner blurted out, throwing a hand up over his eyes. “I-I didn’t know you had anyone over,” he stammered as he backed himself through the doorway, not giving the other blond a chance to say anything. “I’ll uh- see you later,” he said as he disappeared from sight.

“Hey- hey, hang on!” Roxas called. He gave Axel a quick kiss on the lips and murmured, “Be right back,” then he jumped up, keeping a firm hand on the towel. 

Hayner officially had the worst timing  _ ever _ . While he was glad his friend seemed to be in one piece, he was aggravated at being walked in on, and miffed that he was making such a big deal out of it. To top it off, he’d been worried sick thinking something bad had happened to him after that scene at the party. Only Axel’s presence had distracted him from that, for which he felt guilty, but there was nothing more he could have done.

Hayner was pacing in the living room. When Roxas came in, he didn’t look up. “Roxas, I am so,  **_so_ ** sorry,” he gesticulated wildly as he started to speak. “The door was unlocked and…”

“Hayner, it’s fine,” he said dismissively wanting to get past that so he could find out what had happened. “Embarrassing, maybe-”  _ Mortifying _ , he amended silently as he trailed off. He noticed the round bruises on the other boy’s neck and was about to ask about them when Hayner cut off his thought.

“…and who the hell is that, anyway? Someone you met at the party?”

“Er… not exactly.”  _  Stop bringing it up _ , he thought with annoyance at the newest interruption,  _ this isn’t about me _ . “And would you stop pacing? You know that drives me nuts.”

“I just saw my best friend and another guy half-naked! I am  **_not_ ** happy about that.” Hayner wanted to rewrite the past 30 minutes so that he’d never left Seifer’s. However, he  _ was _ grateful he walked in when he did, and not any later. There were some things he just didn’t need to see.

Roxas lost his patience at last, his frustration at Hayner’s inopportune arrival fizzling in the back of his mind. “Well you can’t feel violated just because it’s another guy,” he said waspishly, “because I know you’re doing Seifer.” 

The brown-eyed boy gaped at him. 

Hayner was pretty sure his eye was about to start twitching. Not just  _ with _ Seifer…  **doing** Seifer. Wasn’t personal information held sacred anymore? He did his best to recover and stared at Roxas like he was crazy. “What gave you that idea?” 

Roxas gave him the eye. “Nice try, but he told me himself.”

“He  _ told _ you?” Hayner was incredulous. And after all that talk of,  _ ‘Don’t tell anyone, not even Roxas’ _ ?

“Well, not  _ told _ told,” Roxas amended. “I figured it out, and he didn’t deny it.”

“When?” he asked shortly.

“Um, yesterday, I think.”  

Hayner grabbed his head in his hands.  _ Yesterday? _ He could’ve said something about being with Seifer to Bo after all. Arrrgh! Why was his life a monument to bad timing?

“There,” Roxas said equably, “You got me, I got you. Now we’re even. Stop being so melodramatic.”

_ Oh, no you don’t,  _ Hayner thought,  _ I feel like I got the short end of the stick, twice _ . 

Hayner rounded on him, trying to save face. “Who’s the redhead?”

“It’s a long story,” the towel-clad boy said petulantly, narrowing his eyes. 

Hayner could tell he didn’t want to discuss it. It looked like it might even be a sore spot. HA!

They circled each other, neither one relenting. 

“What happened after the party?” Roxas countered.

Ugh. Like he wanted to re-live that yet again. “I don’t wanna talk about it,” Hayner said peevishly. He crossed his arms and glared at the other boy, acknowledging their stalemate. “Ok, fine. We’re even. Now, go put some clothes on so you can introduce me.” 

“Uh, I’d love to, but I had to throw Axel’s clothes in the washer-” Roxas began.

Hayner held a hand up. “I don’t… wanna know.” He had a good idea what had probably happened.  _ It looks like Seifer was a bad influence on me after all _ , he thought as he warded off the images trying to pop into his head. 

* * *

_ One hour ago… _

Seifer opened his eyes slowly, wondering what had woken him up. As his eyes adjusted to the pitchy blackness of his room, and he focused on the glowing red numbers of his clock, he realized what it was. It was too quiet.

He looked on the bed next to him, where Hayner was sleeping not too long ago, and found it to be empty. A folded scrap of paper lay in the vacated space. “What the?” he muttered, picking it up. He unfolded it and read the hastily scribbled words.

It said:

_ I read the bottle. _

_ You’re an ass for drugging me.  _ (a small angry face was drawn next to that)

_ But I’ll let you make it up to me later. _

_ I’m at Roxas’ _

_    - H _

“Damn brat.” He sighed. Hayner must’ve taken great pains not to wake him up when he let himself out. He was nothing if not headstrong.  

Seifer reached for his cell phone and realized after flipping it open that he didn’t have Roxas’ number. His thumb hovered uselessly over the numbers. He guessed he could call Hayner’s house and get the number from the grandma, but that seemed like more trouble than it was worth. He snapped the phone shut and slipped it into his pocket as he sat up.

It looked like he was going to have to go collect his wayward blond. 

He grabbed a clean shirt, pulling it on as he grabbed his keys. “I’m buying you a fucking cell phone,” he muttered. He snagged his skully off the dresser and crammed it onto his head as he left.

* * *

It was a request from the love of his life. Axel repeated this mantra in his head. A  _ request _ from the  **_love of his life_ ** . A request… from… Oh, bloody hell. This sucked.

Axel stood next to Roxas, in front of another blond named Hayner, the best friend. They say first impressions aren’t everything, but with one as memorable as this, he wasn’t sure. Why couldn’t they have thought to lock the door last night?

“None of my stuff would fit him anyway,” a towel-clad Roxas explained. It took him a bit of convincing to get Axel to come out of the bedroom so he could be introduced. “Don’t you think it’d be rude to make Axel be the only one in a towel when he’s a guest? It’s less awkward this way.”

“Yeah, for who?” Hayner said under his breath. 

_ Fate is against us _ , Axel mourned silently, hoping it didn’t show on his face. The terrycloth around his waist felt woefully insubstantial. In between repetitions of his mantra, he consoled himself with thoughts of Roxas’ hastily whispered promises to him. 

Oh wait.  _ Bad _ idea. These towels didn’t leave anything to the imagination. 

He licked his lips and tried hard not to think sexy thoughts. It was kind of hard when a slight shifting of his gaze gave him unobstructed view of Roxas lithe form. He found himself staring. Graceful limbs… smooth skin… an elusive smile that was like the sun emerging from the clouds on a rainy day… 

Engaging, deep blue eyes glanced his way. They were clear and jewel-like, almost glowing. Their color was brought out infinitely by the soft sections of light blond hair that crowned his head like a halo, and swept down to obscure them. Those eyes that looked so sultry when half closed in a state of rapture… and when his lips parted in breathy gasps… 

_ Oh hell, I’m doing it again! _ Axel hurriedly focused on the shock of being walked in on, hoping to squelch the desire quickening his blood. He didn’t fail to notice the laughter in Roxas’ eyes before he looked away, or the hint of a smirk on his angelic face. 

Axel felt defeat ringing in his bones. It was always  _ something _ . First, the Organization, then lost memories, and now  **_friends_ ** . At least it was just the one friend he was being forced to meet like this. Now, if they could just get him to  _ leave _ …

“Well now, can’t say I expected  _ this _ ,” Seifer drawled from the doorway. Two blonds and a redhead looked up with embarrassed blushes on their faces. 

Hayner jumped, realizing he never shut the door behind himself. “S-Seifer, hi,” he said lamely. The thug entered the room, moving like he was on the prowl.

“I do hope this wasn’t the reason you wanted to get back here so badly,” he said in a suggestive voice. He was amused when all three of their faces turned a charming shade of red. Hayner, more so than the others, looked like he wished the floor would open up and swallow him whole.  _ Heh. Serves you right.  _

Roxas cleared his throat meekly. “Um. Axel, this is Seifer.”

Seifer tilted his head in greeting and grinned. He couldn’t resist baiting them. “I’d ask if I was interrupting something, but it seems like someone beat me to it.”  

He slanted a meaningful glance at Hayner. His blond was glaring at him adorably, embarrassment blazing across his face. “What did I tell you about calling first?” Seifer said, just to rub it in. 

Hayner muttered something under his breath.

Seifer casually slung an arm around his neck, forcing him into an upright headlock. Hayner’s hands came up to pull at his arm. Seifer ducked his head and whispered against the blond’s ear. “You are in  _ trouble, _ brat.” He traced his tongue up the delicate shell of his ear, pleased when Hayner’s breath caught in his throat and his eyes widened. 

He pivoted his prey, and turned to face the room’s other occupants. “Well, I got what I came for,” he announced amicably. The indignant blond protested by digging fingers into his arm. Seifer ruffled his unruly, dark blond hair, knowing how much he hated that. 

“Axel, good to meet you,” he said to the surprised-looking redhead. “Roxas.” He nodded at the other blond. “Sorry he troubled you,” he added, arm still firmly about the blond’s neck as he walked out the door. 

Axel looked at Roxas after the door shut.

Roxas looked back.

Axel raised an eyebrow. “Interesting friends you’ve got there.”

“This is… a new development,” Roxas said slowly.

In unison, they turned to look at the closed door, staring a few moments, each alone with their thoughts.

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Axel asked, staring intently at the wood.

Roxas was staring at it just as intently. “That’s a possibility.” 

Their eyes met in a brief clash of blue and aqua and they raced for the door, scrambling to lock it as their lips met hungrily. 

Axel pinned Roxas against the door, pressing their bodies roughly together. He rejoiced in the feel of skin and the lack of unwanted company. He plundered the blond’s mouth with abandon, eliciting tiny little moans as their tongues swept together hotly. He forced a leg between the blond’s, the silk of his thighs yielding before him, the towel riding up. Roxas gasped loudly in his ear and dug his nails into his shoulders as Axel’s leg touched his aching flesh.

“Any other doors… I should know about?” Axel asked, slightly out of breath.

“No… thank god.”

“Good. I thought I was going… to die if I had to wait any longer,” Axel spoke the words against the blond’s ear.  

“Maybe... bed?” Roxas suggested eloquently. Axel’s hips were rocking lightly against his, driving him insane.  _ Oh, who cares? Against the door is just fine. _

One of Axel’s hands wound its way into soft blond hair. He gripped a handful of the locks and pulled Roxas’ head to the side, exposing his neck in a graceful arch. He lay a trail of burning kisses and sharp bites down its vulnerable length. “Roxas, let me make love to you.” 

“Yes, please,” he breathed.

Axel couldn’t resist claiming his lips when he sounded like that, his body shuddering on the exhale. His free hand smoothed down Roxas’ back, slipping under the towel to grip a rounded cheek and pulled the blond’s hips forcefully into his. 

“Ahhh… Axel…” Roxas moaned into his mouth.

The sound of his name on the blond’s lips was intoxicating. Every sound that passed his lips was making Axel’s body ache desperately. He found it increasingly hard to think. “We need- something to- to-” It was also hard to talk, apparently. But they needed something if they were going to do this all the way.

“Lotion,” Roxas got out.

“Where?”

“…bedroom.”

Axel swept the blond up into his arms and carried him into the other room. Roxas held out a tentative hand to the dresser, and Axel veered close so the blond could grab the bottle. 

Axel lay Roxas down gently onto the bed. His heart felt like it was going to burst. To finally be with him like this, to see those trusting blue eyes focused on him with love and lust…

“Now,” Roxas said, smiling engagingly, slightly out of breath. He also looked a little nervous. “Where were we?”

“Right about here,” Axel replied, unwrapping Roxas’ towel with deliberate slowness, letting the cloth slide over his sensitive skin. He chuckled when the blond’s grip on the bottle of lotion tightened. He kissed the blond’s open mouth softly.

“Axel, please. I can’t wait any longer.” Roxas dragged the towel from the redhead’s hips and dropped it to the floor, his other hand reaching out to stroke his exposed desire.

Axel bit his lip at the sudden boldness of the caress, his knees going weak. 

When Roxas’ hands left him, it was to press the top of the lotion bottle open with a click. He squeezed a fair amount into his hands and warmed it by rubbing them together. His fingers laced together as they cupped Axel’s hard flesh, smoothing the lotion over the heated skin between his palms. 

Axel groaned softly, gritting his teeth against the pulling pleasure. Those hands were like heaven. So gentle, but they were making his blood boil. His breath was coming fast from the effort of resisting the sweet release they promised. 

When they eventually stilled, he opened his eyes, not realizing they had been closed.

Roxas was staring at him with reserved desperation. “Make love to me,” he said softly, his voice husky. “I want to feel you.”

Axel offered up his hand and Roxas coated it with the lotion that clung to his slender fingers. It was like a sacred ritual. Every motion was made with intent and promise, feeding the tension that built between them. 

Their eyes held a steady heat as Axel laid him back onto the bed, and as he slipped a finger into him. When he added a second, he watched a flush appear on Roxas porcelain cheeks. His mouth smoothed over the crease in the blond’s brow, murmuring softly to him as he added the third. He kissed both eyelids delicately, making Roxas look up with a smile. He withdrew his hand and Roxas beckoned to him, calling him with eyes a deeper, truer blue than the depths of the ocean. 

Their lips melded in a slow kiss as Axel entered him, extinguishing the blond’s small cry of pain and sealing their flaring emotions within the circuit of each other.

Axel waited to give Roxas time to adjust. But before he could begin to move, the blond rocked their hips together, wringing a startled cry from his lips. Roxas arched his hips upward against Axel, his body swallowing every inch. “Oh god…  Roxas,” he moaned, as the tight heat enveloped him. 

Axel slid in and out to the thrusting of his lover’s hips, falling clumsily into the rhythm as his head spun. The blond beneath him was setting the pace and he was becoming a willing slave. 

As the tension coiled inside of him, Axel began to take over. His body demanded more, MORE. He felt the blond’s shaking legs wrap around him, inviting the penetration. 

Axel crushed his lips to Roxas’, ravaging him doubly, thrusting into him harder, deeper. He angled to catch that spot within the blond that was making him cry out in helpless, wanton gasps, feeling every noise stoke the blinding ache in his loins. He became unaware of everything but the fevered joining of their bodies, the squeezing sliding friction, and the haze that wrapped around them. They were chained to this relentless pace they struggled to uphold.

“Ah.. Ah…” Roxas gasped as Axel rocked into him, which fueled his orgasm into being with blinding white flashes. Constriction and pleasure were surging up to overwhelm him. His body started to clench in time with the driving force, and he desperately met the movements with raised hips.  _ So close… _

Roxas dug his fingers into Axel’s back, dragging them down, and making him gasp. Axel staggered into him, each wildly delivered thrust making him see stars, a beautiful explosion that made his head spin. He felt Axel’s hand wrap around his desperation like a glove, his hand still slick from the lotion. A tight wave of motion was sliding like a band up his length, coasting lightly down, and pressing back up again. Roxas let out a strangled cry as the combined sensations drove him over the edge.

Axel felt the blond’s cry race through to the core of him like liquid heat. Roxas’ body shook beneath him, clenching, sucking, drawing at him like a lover’s mouth, wringing release from him insistently. He moaned loudly as it coiled tightly and snapped, sending hard shudders through him as it ripped his control away. He felt Roxas’ arms wrap around him as his own arms gave out.     

Axel waited until his heart stopped slamming in his chest before speaking the thought that had surfaced in his mind. 

He nuzzled the blond’s cheek affectionately, reveling in his body’s feeling of bonelessness and the languid expression on Roxas’ face. “If getting frustrated makes every time like this, maybe we should have your friends over more often,” he murmured hazily, earning himself a playful swat to the head.

* * *

TBC

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 2017 - i remember when i first wrote and posted this story back in '06, THIS chapter made me hide my face in shame as it was the most explicit thing i'd ever written. i literally, until now, was NEVER able to read it after posting it. EVER. until now, as i fixed up the story, edited some stuff, made some things less vague, etc etc. 
> 
> it's actually a load off to have been able to comb thru this fic, cleaning it up, and also reading this akuroku scene after so many years. it was NOT as badly horribly embarrassingly written as my fears told me it was. and i think some of the little edits i did made it better. i'm very glad i got the chance to perk up this fic as i brought it to its new home on AO3.


	15. Commitment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.

* * *

 Chapter 15: Commitment

“What’s the big idea?” Hayner said with annoyance at Seifer’s back. The thug ignored him and kept rummaging around his tall dresser, looking for something. “Dragging me off like some kinda pet or something,” he muttered. He kicked his feet against the bed as he sat.

“Ah,” Seifer said then, apparently finding what he was looking for. He turned around and walked over to the bed. In his hand was the ring, dangling from a long silver chain, not unlike the one that had been broken.

Hayner watched him come closer, his heart fluttering nervously in his chest as the gang leader slinked towards him. Seifer knelt down before him, putting their faces at nearly the same level. Ice blue eyes and a dangerous smirk, the feeling of being trapped within that forward gaze-

“Will you wear this again?” Seifer asked as he knelt in front of Hayner.

The moment struck him like a lead weight between the eyes. There was a certain gravity to it, a tension, and there was also an overwhelming pull at his heart.

Hayner nodded. He was overwhelmingly aware of Seifer’s body between his shaking knees, their proximity as he ducked his head to let Seifer close the chain about his neck, like a promise. He closed his eyes as fingertips lingered there, lazily drifting over the skin and up into the hair at the nape of his neck.

The air around them felt warm and raw. Lips and breath caressed his cheek in the barest whisper of touch, making him shiver. He was absolute clay in Seifer’s hands.

Teeth grazed his ear and a hand ran up his thigh as Seifer leaned into him. “Maybe I should get a bell to put around your neck instead?” he murmured sexily, the smirk evident in his voice.

Hayner tried to ignore the way the words quickened his blood, tensing and sparking in his lower belly. He had a nasty retort to that, really he did. But it melted on his tongue when soft lips played over his and strong hands pushed him down onto the bed.

“Maybe then you won’t be able to get away as easily,” Seifer growled in his ear.

Hayner felt his arms get pulled up over his head, placed and pinned, as the thug’s lean body hovered over him. He had a moment of trepidation at the restraint, an unwelcome flash of his near-rape insinuating itself into his mind, battling with the anticipation and lust. His heartbeat was in his throat.

“Hayner,” Seifer murmured, knowing what was going on in the blond’s head, “it’s just me this time.”

It might seem a bit soon after the attack to be doing this, but Xavier said the guy hadn’t gotten a chance to get very far and Hayner had already started acting more normal again. If left alone, this might develop into an even bigger problem.

“Focus on me.” His lips brushed the blond’s. The touch was teasing and feather-light, tempting him to do more when the other boy’s mouth parted slightly in entreaty. His tongue traced the full lower lip, dipping inside to taste him. Hayner’s sweet mouth pulled him in, drawing their tongues together in a slow, sliding dance. Seifer made a small noise in the back of his throat, surprising himself, as the joining of their mouths brought a flush of heat through his body and made him ache.

He pulled back slightly, determined not to lose himself. When brown eyes opened up to his, drowsy with lust, he smiled.

He’d been a bit worried about the impact of all of this upon his younger lover. The blonde was already a bit skittish about certain things, tentative, and having been caught up in the gang stuff and then been accosted like that… Seifer had feared it would set them back, maybe permanently. He’d been so relieved when Hayner had started acting more normal again. And now… now he’d accepted his ring again, the lust was starting to shine out of his steady brown eyes, and he knew that they were going to be ok.

Seifer sank down onto the bed with him, giving into his basest urges now that he didn’t have to worry so much about being careful.

“Ah,” Hayner gasped as Seifer’s taut abdomen pressed against his, heavily, tightly, deliciously. Sparks of desire flared hotly in his gut.

Electric tremors ran through him as their hips began to move together sinuously, Seifer taking care not to put any weight on his injured torso. “Seifer,” he moaned as his arms pulled against their entrapment, making him arch his spine. His wrists were held tight in an unrelenting grip.  

“You’re mine, aren’t you?” It sounded more like a statement than a question. But Seifer was waiting for an answer, his eyes glazed over with desire.

Hayner nodded, trying to focus on the words and not the sensations that were taking over his body. It was hard to think of anything but how badly he wanted no clothing between them.

“It makes me crazy to think of anyone touching you. That anyone else might ever see you like this…” Seifer’s hand played at his hip. It was a minimal touching of skin, just one finger sliding along its curve and following it a small ways to dip beneath the waistband of his pants.

Hayner couldn’t focus past that, or the hard smoothness of one nail scraping gently back up along his lower belly, making him burn. “I told you… I don’t want anyone else,” he managed to get out. “And I don’t know if it’s love or not… but I just don’t think I could be without you.” Is it love when you need to touch someone like breathing? When being with them gives you sustenance? When you’re at the mercy of their every whim?

“Is that so?” Seifer grinned, teasing him.

“Ugh,” he groaned with exasperation. “You should know that by now.” Is it love when you need someone, even if they’re a total pain in the ass?

“I like to make you say it,” Seifer whispered silkily. “I love hearing your voice when you’re panting and breathless.” He ran a finger up the side of Hayner’s cloth-bound arousal, tightening his hold on the other boy’s wrists.

“Uhn.” Hayner’s hips rocked upwards into Seifer’s still ones. He felt their hardness against his stomach as they pressed together, heard Seifer’s sharp exhale.

“Seif- you’re driving me crazy!” He pulled at his wrists in frustration. If he could only get free, he’d rip their clothes off himself and take matters into his own hands.

“Mmm… but you sound so sexy like that,” the miscreant murmured unrepentantly, a wicked smirk on his lips.

“Seifer… you thug… have your way with me already…”  

Seifer slid the zipper on his pants open, laughing softly as it made him writhe. He sat up, releasing the younger boy’s wrists and dragged his pants slowly down, letting his knuckles brush sensitive skin on the way. Once past his thighs, Seifer pulled them the rest of the way off and stood to remove his own.

Seifer watched the blond on the bed as he stripped off his pants. Hayner’s perfect, naked body was begging to be taken. His hazy brown eyes couldn’t have been more beautiful.

He stealthily grabbed the small tube of lubricant from the nightstand and rejoined the blond on the bed, greeting him with hands, tongue, and a smoldering kiss.

Seifer closed his eyes, moving by feel alone. Firm skin, lean hips, everything gave way before his caresses. It was like being caught in a strong tide… this synergy… the way they flowed together…

The strength of his feelings for this boy still managed to strike him dumb, humbling him beyond measure. He couldn’t even say when it had really happened. But everything felt natural with him - the fighting, the bickering, and the increasing urge to touch him, to see him react, to see him _wanting_.

Hayner gasped as he was penetrated by a slick finger. He moaned into the mouth that was ravaging his as he was stretched, as fingers brushed the sensitive spot inside of him that made his toes curl. It felt amazing, but he couldn’t help shifting restlessly as Seifer stretched him. He felt like he’d been waiting for this forever, and he could hardly stand this necessary delay.

Seifer nipped Hayner’s lip playfully. “Patience, love,” he said teasingly.

The blond made a sound of annoyance at him, which was both adorable and sounded a lot like sexual frustration.

When he withdrew his fingers, he was surprised when Hayner pushed up and flipped him over onto his back.

“Patience-” the brown-eyed boy said brazenly “-that’s never been a strong point of mine.” He slid down Seifer’s body and took his aching flesh into his mouth.

It jolted through him. “Oh god… H-Hayner,” Seifer gasped out as the wet heat engulfed him. He hadn’t seen that one coming. His hands gripped the sheets in tight fists as the soft suction made his vision swim. Pleasure was overwhelming him in waves, sparking behind his eyes. Damn, but Hayner was good at this…

When Seifer seemed like he couldn’t take any more, Hayner released him, crawling back up his body. He straddled the miscreant and looked down at his pleasure-strained face. “Have a sense of urgency, would ya?” he challenged slyly.

“I’ll give you urgency,” Seifer scoffed huskily, as he grabbed Hayner’s naked hips and pulled him down upon his own. Bare skin touched bare skin, stirring lust. He arched up, pushing against the blond’s entrance, eliciting a startled gasp from the blond as he guided him down firmly onto his lap, inch by breath-stealing inch. He seated himself fully inside the tight heat, watching Hayner pant as he got used to the feeling. “Hard enough for you, babe?” Seifer teased when he was sure his voice would be steady. This power play was something new, and he wasn’t going to let Hayner win so easily.

“Oh, shut up and move already,” Hayner said as he rolled his hips forward. He was pleased when Seifer’s mouth went slack, a noise escaping his lips. He repeated the motion, working into a rhythm, and Seifer’s eyes drifted closed. _Who’s got the upper hand now?_ he thought triumphantly.

“Feisty brat,” Seifer said, as he cracked open an eye. He wrapped a hand around Hayner’s desire and squeezed hard enough to make him gasp. He stroked his thumb in a lazy circle over the top, then slid his hand more loosely around its length, pumping slowly.  

Hayner had stopped moving, bent over slightly at the waist. His face was flushed, eyes shut tightly against the sensation.

If he hadn’t been turned on before, that expression on the blond’s face would have done it in seconds. He gritted his teeth as raw need pulsed hotly through his hardened flesh. Seifer grabbed Hayner by the hips and lifted him up and then back down again as he thrust upwards. He gasped as the blond’s muscles worked over his flesh, devouring it. He angled to brush the prostate, wanting to hear Hayner cry out as he hit it over and over.

“Ah… Seifer…” Hayner moaned, as his body was filled, stretched, shaking. Seifer’s fingers were digging into the skin on his hips, a small grating pain that was only adding to the pleasure that was rocking his body. His breath hitched in his throat as one of Seifer’s hands left his hip to wrap once more around his pulsing desire. His grip was hot and tight, slightly damp with sweat, and the sure motions were an indication of how close Seifer was to coming undone. Hayner’s knees felt weak as Seifer’s other hand encouraged him to keep up the steady rise and fall upon his lap.

Seifer thrust into Hayner’s warm body, feeling the shakiness in the blond’s legs as he struggled to keep up. His own movements were coming faster and less smoothly as he drew closer to the edge of orgasm. His body ached and clenched as the sensations concentrated razor sharp into his groin. Hayner’s moans were making him pulse and throb, driving him on as his breath came in ragged gasps.

His hand sped up, forcibly bringing Hayner to completion, making him cry out loudly. The blond’s muscles constricted tightly around him, offering a resistance to his final thrusts that was almost too much to bear. He grabbed Hayner’s hips in both hands again, burying himself deeply and releasing into slick, tight heat. His body shuddered violently as he came, his mind becoming a perfect blank.

He lowered Hayner down to lie beside him, an arm wrapped around his limp body to pull him close. He pressed a wet kiss to the blond’s cheek as a feeling of peace stole over him. He never heard Hayner’s half-hearted protest over it, as he fell immediately to sleep.

 

* * *

“Roxas… I don’t know what you’re trying to make, but that does _not_ look edible.” Axel stared forlornly at the mess they’d made of the food. His stomach was rumbling angrily, just as it had been for the last three hours. This was supposed to be the part that made the trip to the grocery store, the wait, and the starvation all worth it.

Roxas tossed the half melted spatula in the sink and threw up his hands. “You said you could help. All you did is help me burn it!”

“I thought you knew what you were doing when you whipped out that cookbook,” Axel protested.  

“Hayner’s Gran got it for me last Christmas,” Roxas said glumly as he tried to clean up some of the chopped ingredients that were strewn around the kitchen. “She said it was a shame the two of us couldn’t make ‘real’ food to save our lives. I thought I’d try to make something since it wasn’t just for me….”  

Some pieces of mango and red onion were fused to the stove. A piece of charred onion skin lay in a streak of blackened crumbles from when it had gotten brushed against the burner and then across the counter. Little chopped bits of onion and red pepper had fallen gracelessly onto the floor.

He glared at the redhead. “And distracting me with kisses and groping is about as unhelpful as you can get, even if I _had_ known what I was doing.”

“I’m sorry, Rox, it was just taking so long and I’m **starving**. I was trying to keep myself busy.”

“With me?” Roxas raised an eyebrow.

“You just look so cute when you’re all focused on something like that.” Axel smiled sheepishly. “I couldn’t help myself.” He pulled Roxas into his arms and nuzzled his cheek affectionately. “Forgive me?”

Roxas huffed and frowned, but it was mostly for show. He couldn’t stay aggravated when he was so happy to have Axel here with him. He felt a tongue licking playfully at his neck. It tickled. “Nooo, stop,” he laughed, pushing at the older boy’s bare shoulders. Roxas saw a brief flash of a crazy smile before Axel resumed his attack. Roxas squirmed and struggled to get away from the devilish redhead as he alternately nipped his skin, blew into his ear, and bestowed a rain of kisses upon his face. “Alright, alright!” he screeched, hardly able to breathe now that Axel was also tickling him. “I- forgive you!” he gasped. “Leggo!”

He felt his captor release him and he sucked in a few deep lungfuls of air.

Axel’s light eyes were shining with mischief as he watched Roxas try to catch his breath. He swept the blond into a tight embrace, kissing him fully on his still parted lips, before placing a tiny kiss on the tip of his nose. “Love you,” he said, dropping the confession as if it were a secret. He laughed as a flustered blush lightly tinted the blond’s cheeks.

“Hey, Roxas,” he said softly, releasing him once more. “Let’s just get something out.” Neither of them had eaten for over a day now, being too caught up in each other to notice such trivial things as hunger until it was of dire necessity.

“Okay, but one of us better learn to cook, and fast… I won’t have enough money otherwise.”

“Don’t worry, I’ll get on my feet soon.” Axel stared into the living room, not really seeing it. “I’ll find somewhere to work, and a place to stay, and then it won’t be a problem.”

Roxas slipped his arms around Axel and rested his cheek against the warm skin of his back. “What are you talking about?” he mumbled. “Aren’t you staying here with me?” The muscles in Axel’s body tensed, becoming rigid against his face. Roxas lifted his head inquisitively. “Axel?”

“Is… that ok?” the redhead asked tentatively. “Is that what you want?”

Roxas laid his head back down against his love’s back. “Yeah. Nothing would make me happier.” The tension flowed from the body he held in his arms, making it sag against him. “Though it wouldn’t hurt for you to get a job, like you said,” he said with a smile. “Maybe then we could save to get a bigger place.”

“Or we could use that money to eat out if we discover we’re both failures at culinary pursuits,” Axel said slyly.

“Speaking of which, let’s go.”

“Sure thing.” Axel pulled out of the warm circle of Roxas’ arms to grab his shirt and hoodie off the chair in the bedroom, where the blond had put them when they were fresh from the dryer. He really had been afraid Roxas would not want them to live together. It would have been understandable, since he lacked knowledge of much of their time together, and it hadn’t yet been a full 24 hours since they’d reunited. Most people would feel pressured at the suddenness of it all. He pulled the dark shirt over his head, the hoodie right after, and swept a hand through his spiky red hair to try and calm the static cling crackling there.

“Hey, Ax?” the blond poked his head around the door.

“Yeah?”

“Um, maybe while we’re out, we should buy you some clothes…”

“Fine by me,” Axel said agreeably. “But… I don’t have any money.” It was difficult for him to remind Roxas of that. It had been hard enough to get the clothes he had, and until he got some sort of job in this place, he wouldn’t be able get the things he needed.  He didn’t want to be a burden, and he’d already had to rely on the blond’s kindness for so much….

“I can swing it.”

“What? Are you sure?” He’d already resigned himself to making due with the little he had.

“Yeah.” Roxas smiled at him, and the strong emotion in those blue eyes made him fall in love all over again. His eyes…Prussian and cornflower blue, cloaks of color often worn by the infinite sky. His eyes _were_ the sky, his hair - the sun, and his smile tasted of sunshine. It purified the darkness that lingered in his heart… made him start to feel whole again.

“None of _my_ clothes will fit you,” he laughed. “And I can’t wash yours every day…so…”

“I could always go around naked,” Axel suggested, a smile turning up the corner of his mouth. “Then you could save the money.”

“Wha- no way!” Roxas said with a shocked blush sweeping across his face. “I’ll eat nothing but ramen for a month if I have to!”

“Or I could get a job as a stripper,” he teased, “I’m sure they’d provide me with something to wear, just so I’ll have something to take off.” He winked.

“ _Bad Axel_ ,” the blond said sternly, stalking over to him and pressing a possessive kiss to his mouth. He had to stand on his toes to do so. “No one gets to see you like that but **me**.”

Axel grinned at him, pleased that Roxas was actually jealous. He wrapped his arms around his slender form and kissed him passionately. His eyes closed as he explored the blond’s sweet mouth, losing himself in the feel of their tongues’ gentle caresses.

“Mm… Axel…” Roxas said between meetings of their lips. “I thought you… said you were hungry?”

“I’m ravenous,” he said as he ran a hand down the blond’s backside.

“Are we- talking about food here?” Roxas asked breathlessly, his voice full of suspicion.

Axel smiled wickedly.

“That’s what I thought.” This is exactly why they were in the predicament of nearly starving to death. As soon as they got close like this, thoughts of food or anything else for that matter were suddenly inconsequential. It was a detriment. They’d end up wasting away to nothing, wrapped up in each other.    

“…but… I’m hungry, too,” Axel admitted reluctantly, ducking his head as his stomach rumbled in rage. He looked at Roxas with shiny aqua puppydog eyes.

“Well, come on,” Roxas laughed, extricating himself from the other boy’s tempting embrace. “Before I can’t resist you any longer.”  His eyes skimmed briefly over the angular beauty of the taller boy’s face, the perfect accents of the teardrop tattoos on his smooth porcelain skin, the restrained chaos of his wildly red hair. Every facet of him was precious, unique, something to be treasured and remembered always. But the most memorable part- his catlike eyes…Aquamarine, pale and distilled, containing the whole of the universe in their illuminated depths. Deeper still, the centered blackness that contained the redhead’s soul- it was an infinity that beckoned him, issuing a silent entreaty to let himself give in and be tenderly dissolved.

“Roxas?”

Roxas blinked, and Axel’s eyes were just eyes. He felt his face heat up as the redhead looked at him inquisitively. He didn’t know what to say to explain himself, so he smiled haphazardly. “Yeah, let’s go.” He grabbed Axel by the sleeve of his hoodie, twisting the soft thick cloth in his fingers, and towed him out of the room.

* * *

Hayner stirred groggily, thinking he’d probably stayed in bed too long. He sat up and stretched, hearing a few pops and creaks as his body protested. The glowing numerals on the clock announced it to be around 6:30 pm. They’d slept most of the day away, having not gotten much sleep the night before. Now his back was aching and there was a persistent kink in his neck. He nudged Seifer awake. “Hey, lemme use your phone.”

Seifer threw an arm over his eyes and mumbled something that sounded vaguely rude.

Hayner raised an eyebrow. _Is that so?_ He threw a leg over the sleeping boy, straddling him. Before Seifer could move the arm obstructing his view, Hayner pinned it to his head and mercilessly attacked his ribs with his free hand. Seifer shifted and squirmed, making a valiant attempt to evade the torture in his half-wakened state.  

“Ticklish, are we?” Hayner mocked him saccharinely as he fought off Seifer’s other hand. “Well, that’s not very thug-like.”

“ _Can it_ , shrimp,” the miscreant grumbled as he dislodged Hayner’s hand from his arm.

Seifer’s glare was cut to half power due to his drowsily lowered eyelids and the serious case of bedhead that was having its way with his flaxen hair. Hayner grinned.

“How can you be so energetic?” Seifer muttered, rubbing his eyes. From what he’d seen, the blond was usually a dead weight in the morning. This defied all reason. He craned his head back to look at the impish blond and tried to focus. “Now… what did you want?” Although not unwelcome, waking up with Hayner straddling him was more than a little distracting.

“Your phone. I gotta make a call.” He paused for dramatic effect. “Unless you’d like to face Gran’s wrath?”

“Not particularly.” Seifer reached a hand out to the bedside table, groping for the cool metal of his cell phone. It was a little far from his grasp, but he was able to snag it by the very corner. He dragged it towards him and brandished it at Hayner. “Here.”

Hayner leaned forward to get it, and planted a kiss on older boy’s lips.

As he pulled away, Seifer hooked an arm around him and pulled him into a deeper melding of mouths. The passion behind it made Hayner shudder, and he was suddenly aware of the compromising position they were in. Their bare skin felt hot, pressing together.

Hayner made himself pull away, before he was convinced to do otherwise. “Feeling frisky this morning?” he teased as he dialed the number for home. It started to ring.

“Hey,” Seifer complained, “don’t give me that look. It’s your fault for-”

“Hey Nanna, it’s me.” He’d decided to chat with her a bit, feeling guilty about his absence. He also knew he’d have to forestall returning home as long as he could so she wouldn’t see his scrapes and bruises until they’d healed up a little.

Hayner listened a moment. “No, I’m not at Roxas’, that’s why I called. Mmmhm. Yeah, he had a friend show up unexpectedly, so I just went to stay with Seifer to give them some room.”

He felt Seifer shift under him and he blushed as the movement sent a zing through him. He glared at the innocent expression on the miscreant’s face. “Y-Yeah, is that a problem?” He trailed a hand over Seifer’s stomach, making it tense wherever he touched it. “Well of course I’m gonna want to stay the night sometimes, but that doesn’t mean we’re gonna _do_ stuff. Geez, Gran.”

He bit his lip as Seifer rolled his hips a little. _Stop that,_ he mouthed.

 _Make me_ , Seifer mouthed back with an evil glint in his eye.  

“Yeah, I think Roxas’ friend is someone he’s _really_ close with.” Hayner sat up on his knees a little so Seifer couldn’t get him as easily. One inopportune noise and she’d descend on them like a horde of rabid screech owls. “I didn’t want to stick around and mess stuff up for them. But maybe they’ll be up for hanging out tomorrow at the beach or something.”

He reached a hand down and stroked Seifer roughly, unable to walk away from his silent challenge. The thug let out a choked noise at the unexpected touch, his head tilting back into the pillows. “Huh? Oh, that was Seifer… I think he stubbed his toe or something…. Mmmhm. Ice? Yeah… I’ll tell him…” Seifer lifted his head just enough to let Hayner see the flustered look on his face and the fire in his eyes. “Well, look, I gotta go, but I’ll call you tomorrow, ok? Thanks, Nanna. Love you, too. Bye.”

“You’re more wretched than I thought,” the gang leader growled.

“Like it?” he smirked.

“Your newfound deviousness worries me,” Seifer said playfully as he trailed his hands over Hayner’s hips. He locked eyes with the younger blond. “It could get you into trouble.”

“Mmm... you have a point there,” Hayner sighed through sensation. Seifer’s hands felt so good… but he probably shouldn’t let things go any further than this. His back would really be screaming if they stayed in bed any longer today. Hayner held the phone out to Seifer. “Thanks again for letting me use it.”

“Keep it. You need a damn phone. I’ll get a new one.”   

“I don’t need a phone.”

“ _Yes, you do._ ” Seifer had that ‘don’t argue with me’ face on. He was more than awake now, so it had its full effect.

“But… if I keep this, all your thug friends are gonna keep calling for you,” Hayner complained. He tossed the phone back. The thug caught it and dropped it next to them on the bed.

“Fine, then I’ll get you another one.” Seifer’s hands skimmed up his sides, avoiding the damaged skin on the front of his torso, leaving ripples of pleasure in their wake. They traveled around behind him, nails dragging softly down his back and making him shudder. Hayner was now 85% convinced that _leaving_ this bed would be a bad idea. Backaches be damned. Seifer’s eyes were hooded as they met his, his lips slowly forming words. “In fact, let’s go right now.”

“What?!” Hayner exclaimed, jolted out of his trance. “ _Right_ now?”

“You heard me, brat,” Seifer said with a smirk. He pulled Hayner into a mind-blowing kiss, ravishing his mouth thoroughly, pulling back only when the younger blond moaned against his lips.  “Right now,” he said silkily.

“You… are cruel…” Hayner accused breathlessly.

“I owe you one.” _Stubbed my toe… ha!_ “Besides, you aren’t up for another round.”

“Says who?” Hayner frowned mightily.

“You want some of that ice your grandma suggested?” Seifer said slyly. “Seems you might need it more than me.”

“Jerk.”

Seifer just looked at him and licked his lips suggestively.

“If we don’t go, you’re just going to torment me, aren’t you?”

“That’s a possibility.” He smiled.

“Argh.” Hayner rolled off of him and got to his feet.

* * *

TBC

 


	16. Where we began

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.
> 
> Chapter title inspired by the song: “In Reverie” by Saves the Day
> 
> **I have a few **one shots** for this Universe/storyline. Will be posting those here as well. One Ax/Rox one Seif/Hay. 
> 
> **Also, there is a sort of **after-story** that I started a while back that follows Ax/Rox and also gives more insight into the Org XIII background that they had and the current threat of being found out.

* * *

**** Chapter 16: Where we began 

“Purple?” Roxas laughed as they stood in front of a display table piled high with clothes.

Axel slanted a look at the blond. “Yeah, what’s wrong with that?”

Roxas picked up the limp arm of the long sleeved shirt Axel was holding up in contemplation. It was a deep and rich dark purple and had a silk-screened tribal design running up the arms. It was sort of fitting for Axel, but Roxas couldn’t help teasing him when he was being touchy about it.

Roxas scoffed at him.

“I’m a _redhead_ ,” Axel stressed with annoyance.

Roxas smiled sweetly, just to goad. “So I noticed.”

“My color choices are limited,” he lamented.

A passing shopper snickered as they overheard the exchange, making Roxas grin.

Axel threw the shirt over his shoulder and into the cart with finality. “It was easier when I was just wearing black everyday,” he sighed tragically.

Roxas peered into the cart. “You have a healthy amount of black in there.”

“Yeah?” Axel looked into the cart too. There wasn’t a lot in there, just a few pairs of pants and a couple shirts.  A good number of items were indeed black. In fact, the only things that weren’t black were a pair of jeans and the purple shirt. He shrugged.

“How about green?” Roxas asked as they began walking again. “That wouldn’t clash with your hair.”

“Hmmn. I don’t really care for it.”

“You don’t like green, but you like _purple_?” Roxas laughed in disbelief.

“I guess I developed a taste for the color since it looks so sexy on me,” he jested with a wink. He’d actually never worn the color before. All he could remember was black.

“Really?” the blond drawled dubiously.

“I’m irresistible.” Axel said silkily, with a gleam in his eye. He drifted closer, tilting his head downward and leaning in suavely as he prepared to lay a kiss upon those doubtful lips. Blue eyes watched him curiously, looking up at him unsuspectingly as he moved in.

Axel felt a smirk forming solidly on his face as he rapidly neared his goal.   

“A-Axel!” Roxas whispered indignantly, suddenly pushing the redhead away. A faint blush rose in his cheeks when he realized he’d almost let Axel make a move on him in public. _Curse his exotic eyes!_

Roxas ducked his head and pushed the cart forward with single-minded determination, as if it were his sole mission in life. His hands clenched tightly around the plastic grip of the handle.

Public displays of affection were not something he was used to, and he felt overly conscious of what other people thought. Maybe it was because he didn’t have anyone else to rely on, no family or ties aside from his few friends, so he was overly concerned with the image others had of him…?  

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn’t hear the squawk of a child who’d been loitering in the path of the cart, as it leapt out of the way.

Axel kept pace with the blond, amused at his embarrassed reaction. He smiled smugly and threw an arm around the boy’s shoulders, ignoring the hard blue glare that followed.

“Stop it,” Roxas said with desperation out of the corner of his mouth. “People are looking.”

“Loosen up, Rox,” he teased, noting the people that _were_ staring. It didn’t bother him in the least. He wondered why it bothered Roxas. He’d seemed so calm when they’d been walked in on by his friends - Axel had assumed Roxas would have an unflappable exterior about this kind of stuff all the time. However, he found the contrary to be exceptionally cute on the blond. “No one knows we’re together,” he soothed. “For all they know, we might just be good buddies.”

Axel felt the tension in Roxas’ shoulders ease marginally. “Though your blush kind of wrecks that assumption,” the redhead added gleefully.

“Arrgh!” Roxas growled as he futilely tried to pry Axel off of him.

“Simmer down, babe, now people are really staring,” Axel pointed out helpfully, a maddening smile stretched across his face.

“Remind me why I love you again?”

“If I did that now, you’d really get mad at me,” he said with a leer as they made it to the checkout counter.

The girl at the register was busy ringing up another customer’s purchase, but she paused to spare them a glance. Axel hugged Roxas a little closer and smiled lewdly. She quickly turned back to her work, flustered.

“Ow,” Axel said softly as Roxas noticed the exchange and elbowed him sharply in the ribs.

“You’re unbelievable,” he muttered.

“I’m just having fun,” Axel responded lightly, unfazed, though he retrieved his arm. He put his hands on his hips and pretended to pout. “You used to love this side of me.”

Roxas gave him a scrutinizing look, one of his eyebrows rising slightly above the other. “Did I really?” he deadpanned.

Axel shifted a bit, trying not to give himself away by breaking expression, but the laughter was bubbling up anyway. Roxas looked so _serious_.

“Ha!” the blond said after a moment, triumph stamped on his face. “You liar, you’re just making stuff up, now. I bet you tormented me like this before and annoyed the crap out of me!”

Axel smiled at him, thinking that would be a more accurate portrayal of things. Since Roxas hadn’t chosen to cement their relationship back then, there had been a few complications. The blond tended to avoid things he was unsure about, so Axel had taken to bothering him a lot, just to interact with him.

Initially, it really pissed Roxas off, but as time went on it became a bit of a habitual routine for them. Axel would slink by, making a pass at him, or saying something he knew would set the blond off. In turn, Roxas would growl out something equally biting, or he’d just ignore him. It was the ignoring that Axel could really never stand. When that was the response, he just got more creative until he could get an actual reaction out of the shorter boy.

Over time, the dynamic shifted and this trained interaction became an empty excuse to be near each other. And, in more than a few instances, words had fallen flat as they felt the pull between them intensify.

Axel tried not to push the issue though. He was convinced that he would wear down Roxas’ hang-ups eventually. But sometimes, he just couldn’t think. He would swim in that blue gaze until he drowned, until he found himself gasping for air against the softness of the blond’s forbidden lips. And in his quiet way, Roxas would take him in- never trying to pull back, despite the conflict in his eyes.

It was always such bittersweet torment, to be so close to all you ever wanted and not understand why you can’t have it.

They had moved through their world of darkness like wooden figures in an automaton clock, following their preset paths, and no one suspected a thing. No one saw the truths that their eyes spoke in volumes when they met - the quickly veiled softness of a gaze, or the fevered intensity that burned brighter with each passing day. They kept the flimsy facade between them, lying with words and actions, knowing that when it crumpled, their mouths would find each other with desperation.  

Axel never voiced his questions, never dared to challenge Roxas’ decision to stay apart even though it was killing him, but he pleaded for the answers with every gaze. His heart felt a little more beaten every time Roxas’ blue eyes shut him out with their saddened averting to anywhere but him, even though he vowed to be satisfied with whatever the blond was able to give him.

But the periods of time between their lips’ hastily consummated confessions lessened. Every meeting increased Axel’s hope in an end to Roxas’ resistance.

Until the day Roxas disappeared.

He’d said nothing to Axel, or anyone else. He was simply gone, as if he’d been nothing more than a wisp of memory within a dream.

Afterwards, no one mentioned Number XIII. Except for one time…

The head of the Organization had made an announcement to all of them. Should Number XIII be located, he would be treated as a traitor and dealt with accordingly. Furthermore, anyone that uncovered information regarding their missing member was supposed to report directly to him, immediately, or they would be considered an accomplice. In that event, they would share the same penalty of elimination.

Axel remembered the shock that fell over him like a silent shroud, deadening everything inside of him yet twisting sharply in his chest. Until the announcement, he had fooled himself into believing Roxas had been sent away on an assignment or something.

Cold reality abraded his senses as he realized the blond had left him behind, and without a single word given in explanation.

It hurt.

But it also made him furious.

Axel threw all his rage and pain into his work, making him unholy hell to anyone standing in his way. Even the other members of the Organization were reluctant to be anywhere near him.

Someone must’ve eventually complained to the Superior, because he soon found that he was always given solo jobs, so that no one had to suffer being paired with him.

It suited him just fine. Only, being left completely alone gave him time to think. He couldn’t keep his anger at a constant, and when it ebbed, he allowed himself to wonder why Roxas had decided to leave. Was it his choice, or had someone made him go? Was he still himself, or had he shed everything of his former existence when he disappeared? Where was he now?  

In those moments of weakness, when his feelings overpowered the bitter taste of being discarded, Axel wanted to look for him. He wanted to find the blond so badly he almost couldn’t take it. But if he ever found him… what good would it do to get both of them killed?

But what was this empty existence worth anymore? Wouldn’t having a resolution be worth it? Wouldn’t life, as it were, be a fair trade?

In the end, he did nothing. And when he did find Roxas, it was completely by chance.

“Axel?” Roxas said as he tugged at the redhead’s arm.

Axel blinked and made his eyes refocus. Roxas’ beautiful face was regarding him with well-balanced concern and impatience.

“C’mon, you’re holding up the line,” the blond whispered urgently. “I already paid.”

Axel was perplexed. Somehow he must’ve moved through the line with Roxas, all the way up to the register, as he zoned out. How annoying. Couldn’t he have made it outside as well, before stalling out?

“Sorry,” he apologized loud enough for the immediate people to overhear. He had to save face over something like _this_. He plastered a tired grin on his face for their benefit. “Guess last night wore me out more than I thought.”

Roxas’ eyes widened and he shot Axel a glare of death. “Yeah, well I told you that lifestyle of yours would catch up to you,” he said sternly, trying to make the redhead’s comment sound as far removed from himself as he could as he dragged him out of the store. The faint night breeze felt cool against his cheeks as they stepped outside.

“Nice recovery,” Axel approved with a nod, a grin curling up at the corners of his mouth. “I’d almost have believed you without the blush.”

“Gah! Axel!!”

Roxas looked so cute with his bright pink cheeks. They made his eyes look even more intensely blue than usual. Axel slung his arms around the smaller boy’s shoulders and nuzzled him affectionately. “I’ll settle down in a bit,” he promised, somewhat apologetic. Memories still tugged at him, making him feel a little somber. “It’s just been so long since I’ve gotten to really tease you like this.”

Roxas sighed in defeat and tilted a quick kiss to meet Axel’s lips. “I’ll live, I guess.”

Axel swept the area with his eyes as they walked slowly through the small parking lot and beyond. Antique wrought iron streetlamps intermittently bathed the concrete in islands of warm yellow illumination. The streets were practically deserted and the lack of humanity cast a lonely air upon the tidy storefronts and cheerful cobbled roadway.

“Is it usually this quiet out?” He asked his blond lover. It seemed there were less people out here than there were in the store, though that did nothing to detract from the friendly feel that naturally imbued the small town’s marketplace.

“Sometimes,” Roxas responded. “There isn’t much of a nightlife.”

“Hmn.” And wouldn’t that be a nice change? To not have to skulk in the shadows…

Even with its emptiness this place breathed life. It had none of the sterility that had infused everything connected to the Organization, that place where even the brightest white was corrupted with teeming darkness lurking in invisible shadows.

The white rooms had put him on edge more than anything in the whole place. It was a sort of fake purity that they’d had, as if designed solely to flush out all the flaws within a person - the best showcase for all the failings a being possessed. He’d despised those rooms and halls even more after Roxas left, feeling like their stark light would burn through him from the inside out, starting with the hole in his chest.

“Hey, Axel?” Roxas’ voice was tentative.

“Yeah?”

Roxas fidgeted with the bags in his hands. “What were you thinking about back there in the store?”

“Nothing much,” Axel said lightly. That was completely untrue, but what was he supposed to say? _Why did you leave me?_ Even if he asked, Roxas no longer had access to those memories. “Why?”

“Well, you had this look on your face… and it was starting to come back again just now.”

“Ah.” But did it matter, now that they were finally together? _It still did_ \- but he would never know why Roxas left. Those memories were forever lost now. He would just have to tuck that thorn away, push it down into some deep part of his mind. He’d just have to live with it.

Axel realized that Roxas was no longer walking beside him. He turned slowly and saw the blond standing a ways behind him, in the shadowy gloom of the street, a bag hanging fisted in each hand and his feet planted solidly onto the concrete. The expression on his face was indecipherable. His unruly blond locks obscured his eyes.

“What are you hiding?” Roxas’ voice was emotionless and dark.

For a moment, the blond emanated the cold feel of untouchable Number 13.

Axel steeled himself against the rushing torrent of images and thoughts which that conjured, and the anxiety that threatened to reclaim his mind. He trudged slowly back to the imposing solitary figure whose deceptively angelic face was cast in hard shadows.

Axel’s feet scuffed to a stop just before the blond. He placed his hands upon the rigid shoulders.

Angry blue eyes flashed at him.

“I’ll say this only once,” Axel said, returning the fierce gaze. His hands gripped the flesh and bone beneath them more tightly. “It nearly **broke** me when you left without a word… and I can’t even tell you how much I wanted to hate you for that.” He took in a deep breath through clenched teeth. “But more than that…more than _anything_ , I wanted to know **_why_ **.” Roxas eyes had gone flat as he spoke. The fire in them fizzled out as guilt and pain flooded in. “And I know that you can’t tell me that anymore.”

He eased his grip on the smaller boy, running his hands briefly over the curve of his shoulders as much to soothe their owner as to calm himself.

“I’m not trying to keep things from you…” Axel continued more softly, as if making amends. He collected himself, knitting a wall between him and the caustic feelings that he hadn’t meant to let surface. “But bringing this up won’t do either of us any good. This will always bother me, and you’ll never be able to explain to me what happened. Nothing we say, now or ever will be able to change that.”

Roxas’ expression was tortured. “But… I… I mean, I didn’t know…” He looked like he wanted to run away, to hide from the unfortunate truth that a self he couldn’t remember had caused Axel such pain. Axel didn’t blame him for that.

“It’s a burden I’m willing to bear, if I can be with you,” Axel said honestly. “And it doesn’t change how I feel about you.”

Roxas bit his lip, overwhelmed by the wrong he’d dealt Axel. A wrong so hurtful and deep, yet utterly lost to his recollection. One that needed accounting for. One that begged for explanations and apologies. How could anyone gloss over something like this?  Wouldn’t it always affect everything? And there was no way to mark it out, no way to obliterate it. No way to _atone_ ….

“We’ll work through it,” he assured Roxas quietly as he saw the crushed helplessness in those sky blue eyes.

Axel wrapped his arms around the younger boy, there in the street, enfolding him in a cherishing embrace and Roxas uttered not one word of protest. “Just promise me you won’t ever leave me again,” he whispered into the soft blond hair.

Axel heard the bags drop to the pavement and Roxas’ arms wound tightly around him as if they’d never let go.

“I promise,” the blond said in sodden, muffled words against his chest, his hands clenching desperately in Axel’s shirt.

“I’ll hold you to that,” Axel murmured affectionately as he ran his fingers over the feathery spikes of Roxas’ unruly hair. _Because I really can’t make it without you anymore._

* * *

“I know,” Hayner said suddenly, gesturing ambiguously down the street with enthusiasm. “Let’s get some ice cream!”

“You’re still hungry??” Seifer raised his eyebrows.

“Not really.” He smiled. “I just have an addiction.”

“No kidding.”

“C’mon! If we hurry we can make it there before they close.”

Seifer came to a halt and crossed his arms, knowing it would throw the impatient blond into a fit. “That isn’t motivating me to move any faster.” Hayner was entirely too much fun to tease.

Hayner stomped closer and peered up at him defiantly. “I can tell when you’re being difficult on purpose,” he stated bluntly.

“Can you now?” Seifer said patronizingly.

“Mmmhm.” Hayner grinned, his eyes closing as it split his face. It lent an innocent yet beast-like quality to his face and completely distracted Seifer from the sly motion of one hand reaching up.

In a flash, Seifer’s skully was unceremoniously ripped off of his head.

“Hey!” Seifer shouted as Hayner took off with it at a run. He hastily raked his hands through his white-blond hair. “You little punk, get back here!” he growled after the younger boy as he gave chase. Hayner took a few steps running backwards so he could stick his tongue out at him, letting Seifer gain on him, then continued his breakneck dash.   

Hayner ducked into the ice cream shop just as Seifer was about to catch him, trusting the thug not to make a scene of killing him in public. The bells on the door rang violently as he barreled inside, startling the shop’s occupants. Hayner tried to inconspicuously catch his breath.

Seifer caught the door before it swung closed and entered the shop with more restraint. He strode in like he owned the place, sweeping past Hayner and up to the counter.

Hayner watched him with suspicion, unable to see or hear what either Seifer or the person behind the register were saying.

“Will you be having the same as last time, young sir?” the clerk asked him.

“Last time…” Seifer was puzzled, they’d only been here once, and that was several days ago.

“My apologies, young sir, I just happen to have a photographic memory,” the man explained. “Regardless, you and your friend were rather distinctive patrons.”

“Ah.” What in the world made the two of them that memorable in a sea of customers?

“I can’t say that I’ve seen anyone crunch through our Popsicles quite like _that_ before,” he added conspiratorially, delicately mopping his brow with a crisp white handkerchief.

Seifer blanched as he realized the man must’ve seen quite a bit more than Hayner’s horrid way of chomping through the icy desert. His mind called up the memory of the blond’s perfect tongue sliding sensuously up the Popsicle, the tip of which soon disappeared tantalizingly into his sassy little mouth. _Oh, yeah,_ he thought as a little thrill raced through him. Hayner would have definitely made an impression with **that**.

“Ah, I think two iced coffees would be fine.” No need to torture himself.

“Of course,” the man replied, sounding just the slightest bit disappointed.     

“Roxas!?”

Seifer turned, drinks in hand, to see Hayner greeting his friend enthusiastically as he and the redhead walked in the door.

“Hey,” Roxas said, “what’re you guys doing here?”

Hayner looked genuinely surprised to see them. It shouldn’t have been a shock, seeing as he Roxas and Hayner haunted this place practically every day. Seifer shook his head and walked over to the table Hayner had claimed as theirs.  

He plunked the drinks onto the formica tabletop and grabbed his skully from the blond’s unmindful hands. He crammed it on his head, breathing a sigh of relief when it was in its rightful place once more. “He’s addicted to the stuff, same as you, runt.” He sprawled into the last empty chair and gave Axel a sympathetic look. “I feel for ya, man.” The redhead looked amused.

“Hey, don’t listen to him,” Roxas wheedled. “Their ice cream is amazing, really! You’ll understand once you try it!”

“Yeah, don’t listen to Seifer,” the brown eyed boy agreed, “he doesn’t really like sweet stuff anyway.” He hefted his beverage with a vaguely disappointed air. “You got me coffee?” Hayner shook his drink at Seifer, making the ice swish and clunk mutedly within the plastic cup.

“You liked mine well enough last time,” Seifer said with suggestive smile.

“How long ago was that?” Roxas asked, leaning forward in his chair. “Was it before you two were, you know…?”

“Yeah, I guess it was,” the miscreant said thoughtfully.

“Ha! What a dead giveaway!” Roxas beamed triumphantly.

“What do you mean?” Hayner asked suspiciously.

“Hayner, you NEVER share drinks with _anyone_.” Roxas kept his voice down to a stage whisper. “That means you must’ve been into Seifer from before. I knew it!”

“Wha- That’s not true!” Hayner sputtered. “I wasn’t thinking about it like that, I just wanted to try it-”

“I rest my case,” Roxas said dismissively, making Hayner even more worked up. He stood up as Hayner glared at him. “We’ll be right back, gotta show Axel how good the ice cream here is.”

“Why did you _really_ get me coffee?” Hayner asked when the other two boys had vacated the table.

“Oh, that. Last time we were here, I wasn’t the only one you were teasing with that Popsicle stunt.” He flicked his eyes to the man at the counter.

“Huh? I didn’t-“ Hayner’s eyebrows were drawn together in confusion.

“Don’t remember?” Seifer locked eyes with him, and slid his tongue slowly up his straw, licking the faint beading of condensation from the transparent tube.

Hayner stared at what must’ve been the most erotic thing he’d ever see done with a straw. He bit his lip as he imagined that mouth being more productive elsewhere, and suddenly several things clicked into place. “…oh…OH.” _I didn’t even understand what I was doing back then!_

“You’re lucky I had self-control,” Seifer said blandly.

“I wasn’t doing it on purpose, I swear,” Hayner tried to convince him, a blush starting to burn on his cheeks as he realized how solicitous he’d been.

He remembered how it had made him feel when Seifer had stared at him so intently and how he had reveled in the feeling of power it gave him to be looked at that way.  Contrary to his claims of innocence, Hayner had acted to encourage that response in the other boy almost as soon as he’d noticed it, even if he hadn’t fully comprehended what he was doing.

Seifer raised an eyebrow.  

“Really!”

Seifer opened his mouth to reply and Hayner could tell from the look on the miscreant’s face that he’d have given a really interesting response to that if Roxas and Axel hadn’t made it back to the table just then.

“Is blue a natural color for these things?” Axel asked, perplexed.

“More or less. Take a taste.”

Axel was looking at the ice cream in his upraised hand with an almost clinical curiosity, poorly disguising his reluctance as he licked at it with the very tip of his tongue.

“Well?” Three pairs of eyes were focused on him expectantly.

To tell the truth, Axel thought it was a horrifying combination of sweet, salty, and BLUE. The color was nice and all, but it hardly called to mind things that should be _eaten_. The saltiness hit him first, riding the sensation of cold wetness, before it was overwhelmed by the thick, cloying taste of cream. “It’s interesting.”

He took another lick, half to appease the crowd, and half just to verify his initial impression. He shuddered.

 _Lick._ It was awful. So terrible that he had the compulsion to keep tasting it, so his brain could sort out and make sense of the aberrant flavor.

A faint snicker caught his attention. Roxas’ eyes were shining with mirth when Axel looked over at him.

“It grows on you,” the blond said with a barely contained laugh.

“I don’t know that that’s a good thing,” the redhead commented as he bravely took a bite out of the ice cream. His face screwed up in a grimace. _Cold/Salt/Sweeeeeeet._

Roxas laughed outright and grabbed at Axel’s hand to keep it from raising the ice cream back to his mouth. “You masochist, don’t eat it if you don’t like it!”

“I can’t stop myself,” Axel said imploringly and licked his lips at Roxas.

The faintest hint of a blush formed on the blond’s cheeks and Axel found himself wondering if the ice cream taste wouldn’t be markedly improved if it was shared between cool intertwining tongues and hotly sealed mouths.   

“Hey Rox, you mind if I borrow some clothes for a day or two?” Hayner asked, missing the exchange.  He’d been dying for a change of clothes, but if Roxas could lend him some, he wouldn’t have to risk a trip home where Nanna could see his slightly battered appearance.

Roxas wrenched his gaze from Axel’s, with difficulty. “Sure.”

“And uh, some swim trunks?” Might as well hit two birds with one stone, Hayner thought.

Roxas gave him a weird look, but agreed.

“I didn’t want to have to stop home for stuff,” he explained. “You guys wanna go to the beach with us tomorrow?”

Roxas glanced back at Axel, who shrugged. “Maybe we’ll meet you there later. But you can grab the trunks and stuff from me after we leave here.”

Seifer looked at a clock on the wall. “Maybe we should head over there now. This place was supposed to be closed 10 minutes ago.”

Roxas followed his look and grimaced guiltily. “You’re right. Let’s finish these on the way so we don’t keep the employees from going home. Except no more for you.” He grabbed the remains of Axel’s popsicle from the redhead.

Hayner laughed. “You’re so conscientious.”

“Yeah, well once you’ve worked a few places like this, you learn to be sympathetic. They can’t kick us out, so they have to wait till we leave.” Roxas got up and tossed Axel’s half eaten ice cream into the nearby trash receptacle and meandered towards the door, the rest of them following soon after.

* * *

TBC

This song really has to be heard to be experienced. Something about the drifting quality of it and the way the guy sings. Love it. Seems all nostalgic and dreamlike. Reminded me a lot of Ax/Rox.

 

“In Reverie” by Saves the Day 

Bottles breaking on my face are only a reminder of your love

I lost a lifetime ago

Was I dreaming when I knew you?

I don't know

[Chorus]

So once again, I swim in reverie

Without your love

Feels so long ago, I can't remember now

Where we began

Smell of burning photographs slide slowly to my nostrils

I try remembering the soft silence of summer

Sweating in the evening

[Chorus]

So once again, I swim in reverie

Without your love

Feels so long ago, I can't remember now

Where we began

Where we began

Did we begin

  



	17. Resolution

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's notes: Typical disclaimer I own nothing of Kingdom Hearts.
> 
> Final Chapter. Cry with me, ya’ll.

* * *

**** Chapter 17: Resolution

_ The next day... _

Hayner breathed in deeply, loving the taste of salt that clung to the ocean air. He was in good spirits as he looked around, soaking in his surroundings. The sun shone fiercely in the blue and white dappled sky, a faint breeze taking the edge off its heat, lending its bright intensity to the heavily saturated colors that were everywhere. 

Brightly colored towels and umbrellas flapped up in the breeze. Wildly green leaves adorned the trees, fluttering fitfully. Waves broke in foaming white crests, accenting the sparkling blue-green water.  _ Heaven _ , he thought.

Hayner and Seifer walked past the many pavilions and on to the beckoning ocean. They left their shoes by the old bike rack at the entrance, Hayner believing Seifer when he said no one would bother stealing them. 

Hayner slanted a glance at the miscreant, admiring how his bleach blond hair looked nearly white in the bright glare. The wind caught and played with the longer pieces, causing him to constantly run his hands through it in an attempt to keep it from falling into his eyes. He sighed with frustration, making Hayner laugh.

“Why do I keep letting you talk me into coming here?” Seifer asked ruefully. He felt naked without his skully.

“Cause you like it here, even though you complain.”

“Ha.”

“You just have to get used to people getting to see your hair,” Hayner said wisely. “… and thinking you’re a wuss because of it,” he added slyly.

“Brat.” Seifer cuffed him lightly in the head. “I almost took you seriously for a minute.” He let a sour expression cross his face. 

Hayner was unfazed. 

“But really, who cares it you don’t look like a complete thug out here? You can leave that stuff behind sometimes, can’t you?”

“…” If only it were that easy, that simple. It wasn’t something you could pick up and drop whenever you felt like it. Once you take a step into that world, there was no going back. You learned how to make it, how to survive, and it became part of you. You could no more lay it down than you could take off an arm, or a leg. Once you became part of a gang, once you lived and breathed by their rules, you could never live any other way. It was in your blood.

“That seems like a resounding ‘no’,” Hayner said glibly.

“...you wouldn’t understand.”

“Well, then explain it sometime, and maybe I’ll surprise you.” Hayner shook his head, dispelling the mild annoyance of being written off so quickly; he wasn’t going to let that ruin his good mood. Seifer probably had his reasons for thinking that way, but they could deal with that later.  “For now, let’s just pretend you’re a non-thug who knows how to relax and have fun at the beach like normal people.”

Seifer smiled. “Normal, like  _ you _ ?”

“Hey - I’m normal!”

“Heh. Sure you are, runt.”

“Eh, screw you,” Hayner said without rancor, knocking into the older boy with his shoulder as they walked. 

Brown eyes scanned the beach intently, looking for the perfect spot to drop their stuff. Most of the umbrella-types were on the high side to the northwest edge or the dunes. What was the point of going to the beach if you were just going to hide under an umbrella all day? In front of them were most of the other people… friends, couples, families, and several kids running around screeching shrilly at the top of their little lungs. 

It was relatively crowded. Hayner looked to the south and saw that few people had bothered setting up a little further down, likely because they couldn’t be bothered to walk the extra distance. “How about down there?” he asked.

Seifer shrugged. “Whatever you want.” Crowded, not crowded, it was all the same to him. He followed the blond down the beach, past the excitement of boisterous voices and the squealing laughter of kids playing in the waves. The resident flock of seagulls took flight at their approach, croaking and chattering angrily as they launched into the air in a flurry of white wings. They settled heavily again once they realized they were being ignored. They were the fattest fucking birds Seifer had ever seen.

He followed the blond, realizing with mild surprise that he actually did like being out here - the wind fingering through his hair with sultry, heated breaths as the sea added undercurrents of cool, salty mist within the very same breeze... 

Eventually, Hayner came to a stop. Seifer watched as he stood, feet planted firmly in the sand, the wind battering his wavy hair lightly, looking out to the ocean with an energized sort of calm that made absolutely no sense, yet fit him perfectly. He dropped his towel to the ground like an afterthought, decisively choosing the spot at random. 

Hayner groped into the unfamiliar pockets of the blue trunks he’d borrowed from Roxas, fishing out his keys and new cell phone and adding them on top. 

Seifer eyed the wadded slump of Hayner’s towel, thinking about how much sand was going to be all over it by the time he went to use it, and decided not to follow suit. He flung his own towel out, unfurling it to lie on the ground fully opened. He tossed his own keys and phone and such onto the corners to weigh it down, then removed his shirt. 

“Aren’t you not wanting people to see that?” Seifer asked as the younger boy pulled up the edges of his gray, borrowed shirt, referring to the nail marks and bruises that still looked so fresh on his light skin. Seifer had figured he’d leave the shirt on the whole time, seeing as he’d been so set on hiding the injuries before. 

Hayner paused. “Meh. Who cares? I need to feel the sun on my skin.” He looked away. “The worst they’ll think is that I’m into some kinky shit, right?”

“It’s your call.”

Hayner’s shoulders seemed to tense a moment, his face lost in contemplation. “Fuck it. They don’t know me.” He pulled the shirt over his head and tossed it on top of the towel heap. 

Hayner rolled his shoulders and stretched beneath the sunshine, the tension flowing out of him as the rays seeped sensuously into his flesh, warming him from the inside out. The muted crash of waves lured his attention away from the sun, calling him forward. 

He made a breakneck dash towards the clear spill of water. Wet sand clung to his feet as he raced over the compacted flatness of sand that was within reach of the tide. He crashed into the sparkling water, letting himself fall haphazardly into its cool embrace. 

Salt pricked at his eyes, and it burned in the thin red trails healing upon his stomach and chest. A slight pain, but a welcome one - it felt like he was being purified, the scars and fear in his mind washed away with every stinging movement of flesh. He broke the surface of the water feeling infinitely refreshed. 

“What are you waiting for?!” he called out to Seifer. The thug was loitering on the beach near the shoreline, not a drop of water touching him. 

“I was waiting to see if you were coming back up. I thought maybe something got you.” Seifer grinned at his annoyed look. 

“Oh, nice,” he retorted as the miscreant stepped through the shallow waves, “so you’d just let something drag me under?!”

Seifer waded in to his knees. “No sense going in if it isn’t safe.”

“I’ll remember that, jerk. Now get your ass in here and race me!”

Seifer dipped a cupped hand into the water and launched a mighty splash at Hayner’s head, catching him full in the face. 

“GAH!” the blond spluttered, frantically wiping at his eyes. 

“Better watch yourself, brat,” Seifer said silkily, “I don’t take orders that well.”

“I don’t see why,” Hayner said churlishly, experimentally cracking open one burning eye as Seifer moved closer and blinking it rapidly. “You’re good at everything else.” 

“Everything?”

Hayner felt a hand brush against his hip as if by accident, startling a jolt through him. Seifer was poorly hiding the amusement in his eyes, practically announcing his guilt. Hayner shot him a surly look. “Yes, everything.” The deviant started to get that  _ look  _ on his face, the one that meant trouble, so Hayner swam a few strokes backwards out of his reach. “Isn’t there anything you’re bad at?” he prodded. “Anything at which you completely, utterly  _ fail _ ?” 

Seifer tread water, thinking about the various things he could and couldn’t do. He couldn’t come up with anything he wasn’t at least passable with. “I don’t think there’s anything I’m really horrible at.”  

Hayner looked crestfallen. “Oh, come on, there has to be something!”

“I can’t sew?”

“Have you ever tried?” Hayner asked suspiciously. 

“No.”

“Then it doesn’t count.” He waved his hand dismissively in the air, flinging drops of water with the motion. “You,” he said pointedly, “are abnormal. Nobody is as good as you are at everything they ever try to do.”

“Who says I’m really good at anything?”

“ME. And I’m beginning to think you’re like… a cyborg or something.” Hayner peered at him skeptically, as if searching for bionic parts that had somehow escaped his notice.

“And I’m beginning to think you’re totally mental,” Seifer sighed, sounding put upon. “It’s a good thing you’re cute.” Right on cue, Hayner surged forward to attack him. The miscreant smirked and started swimming, cutting through the water in fast, even strokes. The race was on.   

* * *

Hayner flung his sandy towel out onto the ground and flopped bonelessly down upon it. Swimming always wore him out, and trying to keep up with Seifer was even more tiring. The thug was like a fish in water.

The towels seemed like insubstantial protection from the expanse of hot sand waiting to burn unsuspecting feet. Luckily, they were thick enough to insulate against it, and made for comfortable seating on the small dips and hills of microscopically pulverized shells. Hayner put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of the ocean and the distant crying of the gulls. He fell into an easy doze, as the breeze whispered coolly across his dripping body. 

Sometime later, Hayner sat up, yawning widely. “Damn it’s hot out here.” He watched the late afternoon heat shimmer off the sand, felt it heaving in waves in the air around him. It was baking the salt water from his swim trunks and hair, the only places still retaining any water, leaving him feeling like a bleached bone adrift in an unending desert. His dry mouth begged for moisture. 

“I’m gonna go get some water at the fountain,” he said to Seifer, after debating the necessity of moving. The waves hitting the beach with salty undrinkability mocked his thirst. 

“Mmmmm.” The muffled response sounded more than a little like a contented moan. It caught Hayner’s attention, making him linger.

Seifer looked half asleep as he lay on his stomach basking in the sun, his head resting in the cradle of his folded arms. His body was enticing, stretched out like a display upon the striped towel. Hayner’s eyes moved discretely over his strong shoulders and back, his tapered waist, and the curves of his muscled legs. His eyes lingered on the sliver of lighter skin just above the waistband of his shorts, where they had ridden down a fraction of an inch. Hayner resisted the urge to touch, wanting to slide his hands beneath them, as his mind helpfully imagined the view without clothing. 

“You wanna come?” Hayner asked.

One lazy, frost blue eye opened reluctantly. “Always,” he said, purposely responding to the double meaning, and the blond’s slightly fixated gaze. Seifer’s mouth turned up at the corner as Hayner licked his lips and glared at him. “But go on without me, I don’t feel like moving.”

“Ok, be right back,” the brown-eyed boy said, not moving.  

Seifer kissed at him condescendingly, barely holding off his lascivious smile, rushing Hayner on his way with a blush and a scowl. Seifer closed his eyes again, a genuine smile on his face.  _ He was too cute. _

* * *

Hayner grimaced as he ran across the beach. “Goddamn this sand is hot!” He made it onto the concrete just as his feet were feeling raw and about to fall off. But it was just as hot as the sand, and painfully so.

He searched frantically for a patch of non-heat-conductive ground as he hopped from foot to foot. His eyes spotted a sparse patch of grass.  _ Thank god!  _ It was scorched, mostly dead, rather brittle, and hardly covered the dirt it was ‘growing’ in, but it offered at least a meager respite from the concrete and sand. 

It was 30 yards or so to the brown building that housed the bathrooms. The water fountain was right on the front of it, in an inviting block of shade cast by the wide shingled roof. The concrete pad of the building was mostly safe from the sun at this time of day, and promised to be cool to the touch. Hayner waited for his feet to feel fortified and ready for the next sand-torture sprint. Next time he was bringing his shoes.

The sun-deprived concrete felt like it looked and was like a cool, healing salve to Hayner’s feet when he finally stepped upon it. He breathed a sigh of relief and tried not to think about making the return trip. 

But, first things first. 

The simple metal water fountain looked like the holy grail. 

Hayner pressed the button to dispense a clear arc of liquid life. He took long gulps, drinking as fast as he could, stopping only when the cold threatened to pinch his brain unforgivably. He used that time to splash a few handfuls of water over his face to rid himself of some of the salt left there when the seawater had dried on his skin. It was amazing how different the two types of water felt - the fresh water left him feeling revived, and less like a slab of dried meat.   

He had just brought his mouth back down to the splashing stream of water when he heard someone shouting his name. 

“Hayner!” a voice called out jovially.

He rolled his eyes up and to the left as he drank, needing to look to identify the speaker as Zane. _ Swell. _

“Uh. Hey man,” he greeted as the brunet approached. He stayed hunched over the water fountain and returned to sucking down the cool stream of water like a drowning man gasping for air. 

Zane chattered at him in a friendly way, almost distracting him from the cold shadow that was Bo. Hayner felt a tension in his chest as those eyes were locked onto him relentlessly. He wished he could just drink water endlessly, so he could avoid this confrontation, but he would soon be sick if he had any more. Damn. He fought the urge to clench his hands. 

Hayner straightened and moved away from the fountain to face the two, wiping the back of his hand across his mouth. The mohawked boy’s gaze weighed heavily upon him.

Bo’s eyes held an awkward mix of sullen anger and suppressed desire. The air still crackled unsteadily between them, like it did the last time they’d seen each other. There was a formidable bruise on his jaw from where Hayner’s fist had so recently landed. 

Zane trailed off, noticing finally that something was amiss. He looked back and forth between them, trying to make sense of the sudden suffocating tension in the air. 

Bo’s eyes widened almost imperceptibly when he saw the scrapes and bruises on Hayner’s torso, visible now that the blond was facing them. “When did that happen?” Bo asked quietly, not entirely masking the worry/anger/hurt in his voice, though his eyes were dark and noncommittal.

Hayner started, and looked down at himself, having momentarily forgotten about the injuries crisscrossing his skin. He felt annoyed at the self-conscious need to hide them from sight.

“After I left,” Hayner replied. “You have charming friends.” 

“Left where?” Zane asks, confused.

Bo spared him a glance before returning his gaze to Hayner. “The party the other night.”

“You threw it while I was out of town?” Zane’s eyebrows shot up. He sounded incredulous and disbelieving.

Bo ignored him, and the look he gave Hayner was pained. “I didn’t know they had it in for you. I’m sorry.” He took a step forward, staring at Hayner’s chest like he could heal the skin with eyes. He set his jaw. “Which ones… did this?”

Hay folded his arms over his chest. “I outran all of them, except some guy with longish dark hair and an attitude problem. You know him?”

“Vaguely. He’s new to that gang. Only been with them a few months…”  

“So, tell me where I can find this guy,” said a new, and deceptively calm voice. 

“Uh - hi, Seifer,” Zane said anxiously, making Hayner jump in surprise. 

_ Seifer!? _ Hayner felt his brain flailing.  _ When the hell did he get here?!  _

Seifer nodded at the brunet and took a long drag off the cigarette in his cupped hand, his eyes focused intently on Bo. He blew the smoke out in a steady stream, tilted towards the sky. 

“See, I’ve found this guy to be fairly elusive…” Seifer said conversationally, yet there was menace in the way he held himself. “Not even my own people seem to be able to tell me what I want to know.” 

Hayner realized suddenly that Seifer had never given up on finding the guy that had attacked him - he had mistaken silence for acquiescence. The gang leader had merely been biding his time until he could locate him. Hayner felt his guts knot up at the thought of all the ways this situation could go wrong. He stared at Seifer uncertainly, trying to figure out what he was going to do. 

Seifer’s face was blank and could even be described as amiable, if you didn’t know him better. There was a coiled energy in every move he made, belying the civility of his tone. 

“I don’t know anything,” the mohawked boy said mulishly, taking a step back. He looked a little uncertain beneath his display of nonchalance.

“I think you do.” Seifer took another drag and dropped his cigarette to the ground. He put it out with a slow twist of his bare foot.   

Hayner winced as he imagined the glowing embers burning fiercely against flesh as they were smothered and crushed. He felt frozen as he watched Seifer starting towards the other boy. Everything seemed like it was happening so fast- yet in slow motion.

Seifer stalked forward, all threat and casual movement, encroaching upon the purple-haired boy’s personal space. 

Bo watched him close in, like a small animal transfixed by the dead eyes of a snake about to strike. The defiance in his eyes faltered, a flicker of something weaker passing over his face as he recognized the situation he was finding himself in. Indecision. Staring into the cold, pale eyes that marked his every breath, daring him to even  _ twitch _ the wrong way, he started looking like being compliant might be the best way to avoid getting killed. What would he lose by saying what he knew? 

Bo’s mouth opened, preparation for the words about to form there.

And that was all it would take, Hayner realized with panic. A name… a location… and the ring of violence would flare uncontrollably, catching him at its center. It was insanity to think there would be no retribution. 

“Don’t you fucking tell him,” Hayner said harshly, trying to quash the desperation in his voice as he broke the silence. Jade green eyes flicked his way uncertainly. “You OWE me for that shit you pulled!” 

“Tell me,” Seifer countered, his voice menacing, dragging Bo’s attention back to him, “and I might just  _ overlook _ that shit you pulled.” Just the thought of this punk laying hands on Hayner was pissing him off. He grabbed the front of Bo’s shirt. “Unless a kiss was worth being castrated over?”

Bo paled.

“Oh, Bo, you didn’t?” Zane groaned as he put two and two together. A party while he was gone, Bo inviting  _ just _ Hayner… His friend had planned something to happen, and here it was blowing up in his face. Zane shook his head. He should’ve seen this coming.

“Seifer. Drop it,” Hayner said. His tone made Seifer look up. “I can’t take this, if you’re just gonna go out and do the same thing again… it’ll just make things worse. You attack that guy, and his whole gang’ll be out for me.”

Seifer felt frustration clamoring violently in his head. He’d wanted to beat the shit out of this cocky kid with the mohawk, but he’d restrained himself so he could find out who it was who’d laid hands on Hayner – which is what he wanted even  _ more _ . Rage surged through him at the thought of being denied  **both** . 

He realized Hayner wasn’t wrong, that things very well could go the way he thought, but it did nothing to calm the adrenaline pumping into his system. It did nothing to ease the anger he felt at being told what to do, and seeing no other alternative but to comply. 

His hand clenched in Bo’s shirt, his other hand itching to form a fist. The cringe that rattled through the green-eyed boy as he flinched back gave Seifer a thrill of satisfaction that brought a sharp smile to his face. 

Seifer gave him a look that promised they’d continue this later. He released him roughly and turned on his heel - leaving before his control slipped any further and he gave in to the urge to beat the kid brutally. He could feel how thoroughly he would’ve enjoyed that. 

Hayner stood there a moment in utter surprise, watching the gang leader take his leave without another word. He’d been able to feel the bloodlust in the air, the thick tension of it hanging like a smothering blanket. Even now, it lingered. He looked at Bo. It had to have been a lot worse up close… 

“That was decent of you,” Hayner offered. He hadn’t fully expected Bo to listen to his plea not to say anything. It took balls to stare Seifer down when he was like that. 

“So… you guys were together then?” Bo asked.

Hayner dipped his head. “Yeah.”

Bo put a hand over his face as he sagged against the rail behind him. “Christ. Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Nobody was supposed to know… But it looks like I have to deal with this gang bullshit either way.” He sighed. “Look, just steer clear of Seifer. He has a bad temper and you’re on his bad side.” Bo looked like he was trying to gather the scattered shreds of his composure. Hayner felt a little bad for him. “I don’t blame you for the stuff that happened to me,”  _ since that wasn’t your fault, even though all the other stuff was,  _ “but touch me again like that and he won’t let you off.”

“I think I got the message,” Bo said weakly.

Zane came over and hooked an arm through his friend’s limp one, preparing to drag him off. He looked at Hayner with solemn eyes. “Thanks,” he said simply. “I’m sorry about-“ he gestured emptily, not really sure how to put words to it.

Hayner nodded.

Zane looked past him, down the way Seifer had gone. “You’ve got a loose cannon there,” he said, his demeanor serious. He urged Hayner on with a tilt of his chin. “Good luck.” 

“Come on, asshole,” he said tiredly after Hayner left, pulling Bo along with him.   

Hayner ran after Seifer, not seeing where he’d gone, wondering if he’d left the beach altogether.  His steps slowed at the thought of dealing with the gang leader’s formidable anger. Was he really immune to it? Safe from the violence he could see flashing in those cold pale blue eyes?

Hayner ended up finding him at one of the pavilions.

Seifer was sitting on the bench, leaning back with his elbows on the tabletop, smoking a cigarette and staring out at the ocean. Their belongings were sitting on the table beside him. He must’ve brought them up soon after Hayner had gone to get water. His long legs were draped out in front of him, one drawn up slightly. 

Hayner slowly made his way over, dragging his feet. He hated this hesitancy that he felt when the other boy seemed mad – that he agonized so much over what to say. Were they really as precarious as all that? Where a handful of words could really be enough to disrupt everything between them? Hayner clenched his hand. Either way, he couldn’t waver on this no matter what Seifer said or did. He circled around the side of the pavilion so Seifer could see him, steeling himself.

Eyes, pale and intense, slid a glance his way, watching his approach evenly.  

Hayner faced the mercurial person in front of him that had come to mean so much to him in such a short time, unsure of what to expect. Something in the air, unlike the jumping static of before, rested uneasily. He felt himself wetting his lips. It was hard not to get sucked into the sweeping ‘V’ of his legs where they came together at his hips, or up those perfect abs and sculpted chest, hard not to notice broad shoulders, sensual lips. It was hard not to notice the relaxed grace and the  _ sex _ that emanated from him so naturally. His pale eyes were twin pools of desire, deep enough to drown in.

Hayner swallowed, confused when he didn’t meet with the anger he’d anticipated, his stomach clenching in aching waves and the effect shot down to his toes. He found himself moving closer, reeled in by the open invitation present in every line of the gang leader’s body. “I-I thought you were mad.”

“I am.” Seifer closed his eyes as he sucked in a deep lungful of nicotine-laced smoke, his brows drawing together slightly.

“…but?”

Seifer exhaled slowly, as if he were calming himself through the action. When the last trace of smoke was riding on the air, he sighed and opened his eyes. “But, you may have had a point.”

Hayner waited expectantly, hope swelling in his chest. He knew that Seifer would think relenting would make him lose face, that giving up on it would be breaking with his strict personal code. But here he was - holding back on the anger that must be chewing and gnawing at him inside, possibly changing his mind because Hayner had spoken against it. “And?”

Seifer’s eyes were hooded, compelling and dangerous as they slanted towards Hayner. “I don’t like it.” 

“What-?” He blinked. “That’s it?” Hayner felt deflated. 

Seifer took one last puff at the stub of his cigarette and tossed it to the ground. This time he blew out the smoke petulantly. “I don’t like it, but I see that I may have to let this go.” He scowled like it was really hard to say the words that came next. “It wouldn’t be worth it if you got hurt again because of me.”

The words seemed unreal. He knew that once Seifer decided on something, he let nothing deter him. “You’re really giving up on it?” Hayner prodded. 

“Yeah,” Seifer said shortly. “But that doesn’t mean I’m happy about it.”  _ I really wanted to rip the fucker’s throat out. I just don’t want the rest of them after you… and that’s likely to happen if I take out one of their own. _

Seifer’s eyes met his, showing him how difficult it was for him to concede this, that he was doing it only because it was Hayner that had asked it of him.  _ I’ve never done anything like this for anyone else. _

Hayner felt a hand brush his chest, realizing he was within range as Seifer took the chained ring in his hand. He felt the hand become dead weight, dragging him down a few inches, closer to that tempting mouth. He tried to pull back a little, resisting when he suddenly remembered where they were. The world had swung back into focus with his relief.  

“Careful,” Seifer said sexily, challenge gleaming in his eyes, “it’ll break.”

Hayner’s resistance was crumbling around him. Damn that voice. It never failed to make his stomach tight, his pulse leap in his throat, and his brain try to shut down. It never failed to make him **want** .

Seifer pulled on the chain, bringing Hayner down to him. He tilted his head up, catching the boy’s lips with his, forcing them open in an aggressively intimate kiss.

Hayner felt his legs trembling with the effort of keeping himself upright as his body responded powerfully. He couldn’t believe Seifer was making such a bold move where people might  **_see_ ** them.  _ Scandalous! _

He tried to escape the sweet torture, only to find himself held quite firmly in place. His resistance was futile when matching strength with the miscreant - he’d learned that quickly. He could pull and push with all his might, and Seifer would undo his efforts, make him submit, and ravish him without batting an eyelash. It was terrible! It was… so incredibly _hot_ , he admitted to himself. 

Seifer released him from the kiss, mouth trailing along his jaw, to whisper in his ear. “If we don’t leave right now, I’m going to throw you over this table and have my way with you,” he whispered huskily. 

He nuzzled Hayner’s neck, nipping the skin, and smoothing it with heated kisses. 

“If we… don’t leave now,” Hayner gasped, “I’m going… to let you.”

“What about Axel and Roxas?” Seifer asked as his hands teased at the waistband of Hayner’s swim trunks.

Hayner tried not to answer immediately, to act like he had to give it thought, but the words fell from his mouth as soon as the question was posed. “We’ll catch up to them later.”

* * *

“Aw, I don’t see them anywhere.” Roxas put his hands on his hips as he looked around one more time. He’d insisted on at least trying to locate Hayner and Seifer, even though there were very few people still out at the beach at this hour. It had been a long and fruitless search.

Axel swept his hands through his hair, collecting it at the back of his head so he could secure it in the black elastic band he’d brought with him. “Maybe they left already.” It was late in the day, well past the peak hours of deadly heat. But, it was still really hot out even if the sun was no longer directly overhead. It felt good to get his hair off of his neck.

“Hm. Yeah, I guess they would have come a lot earlier than now. We’re a little late.” He looked up. The washed out sky felt empty, pure, infinite, the way it usually did after a cleansing rain. The glowing dome of it was paling, growing dim as the sun eased itself down the arc of the horizon. Tiny blazes of colors began to ignite clouds in its wake. “But it looks like we made it in time to at least see the sun set.”

The boardwalk was deserted as Axel and Roxas made their way to the beach below. The wooden planks creaked pleasantly under their bare feet, the subdued roar of the ocean a soothing backdrop to the relative silence surrounding them. Wind shivered through the tall seagrass as they took the last few steps and their feet touched the sun-baked silicone heat of sand. 

Roxas walked down the sandy beach, shuffling his feet through the fine granules, a peaceful expression on his face. He stopped at the edge of the water, closing his eyes momentarily as he allowed the water to lap quietly at his feet. “Have you ever watched the sun set?” he asked as he faced the wide expanse of water. He didn’t turn around to ask, knowing Axel would be there. 

Axel thought about that. Surely, he’d seen evidence of the watercolor wash of sky that preceded nightfall. Surely, he’d noticed when the sky seemingly burst into flames with a last riotous display of light before giving in to the impending darkness. But had he ever, even once, chosen to observe the phenomenon for the sake of itself?  “I can’t say that I have,” he answered finally.

“Me neither,” Roxas laughed lightly. “I guess I just never thought to.”  He continued in a contemplative voice, “But now that I’m seeing it, I feel like I’ve been missing out on something good this whole time for no reason. I just didn’t realize what was always right in front of me.”

Roxas looked over his shoulder at Axel, his expression one of carefree happiness, the sun casting its likeness upon his continence in glowing hues. 

Axel dug his toes deep into the warm sand. The world around them was slowly drenched in the orangey iridescence of the setting sun. He witnessed the birth of a smile that months ago would have been nothing but an impossibility upon that once so stoic face. He felt his heart beating solidly in his chest, felt the heart - that the Organization told him he  _ didn’t have _ \- as it constricted with emotion.

A gentle breeze ruffled through Roxas’ sun-dyed amber locks, spilling his bangs messily across his face and into his eyes. Roxas smiled that smile at him, and held out his hand as if he were offering the world.

Axel felt the weight of old memories slowly loosen, falling from his shoulders like a heavy cloak as he stepped forward to take the blond’s hand.

* * *

~Fin~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!
> 
> Again, there are a few one shots I'll be posting and potentially the followup fic (if I can get it finished up after all this time :p )


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